Cost of Living Comparison Between Multan and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Multan and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $414 per month in Multan vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $613 per month in Multan vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $812 per month in Multan vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Multan is about 22% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Multan and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Multan 69% lower, Islamabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 PKR 606

$2.80 PKR 779

-22.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.58 PKR 2,386

$14.22 PKR 3,955

-39.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 PKR 1,443

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-4.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 PKR 891

$4.00 PKR 1,112

-20.00%

Cappuccino

$1.43 PKR 398

$2.00 PKR 557

-28.50%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 PKR 77.0

$0.43 PKR 119

-34.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 54.9

$0.22 PKR 61.1

-9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 PKR 163

$0.94 PKR 260

-38.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 PKR 168

$0.62 PKR 173

-3.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 290

$1.21 PKR 338

-14.05%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 300

$1.20 PKR 335

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.93 PKR 1,371

$6.07 PKR 1,689

-18.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 PKR 716

$3.39 PKR 942

-24.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.03 PKR 842

$4.38 PKR 1,218

-30.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 PKR 282

$1.03 PKR 287

-1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 PKR 188

$0.78 PKR 216

-12.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 160

$0.93 PKR 260

-37.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 143

$0.60 PKR 166

-15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.41 PKR 115

-7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.54 PKR 149

-20.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.34 PKR 93.3

67.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 99.4

$0.37 PKR 103

-2.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 PKR 515

$1.93 PKR 537

-4.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 PKR 428

$0.90 PKR 251

71.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 PKR 539

$1.99 PKR 552

-2.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 549

$2.14 PKR 596

-7.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 47.97

$0.19 PKR 52.2

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.26 PKR 2,019

$6.90 PKR 1,920

5.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 PKR 286

$0.86 PKR 238

19.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.44 PKR 122

-29.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 PKR 384

$2.81 PKR 782

-50.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 266

$0.91 PKR 253

4.40%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

4.18%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-16.16%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$103 PKR 28.6K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-7.96%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.84 PKR 1,347

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-11.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.62 PKR 3,790

$18.81 PKR 5,234

-27.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.96 PKR 4,997

$22.19 PKR 6,174

-19.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.52 PKR 3,484

$6.04 PKR 1,679

107.28%

Cinema Ticket

$2.64 PKR 734

$4.21 PKR 1,171

-37.29%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$36.00 PKR 10.0K

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

-40.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,755 PKR 488.2K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

-37.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.34 PKR 4,547

$21.57 PKR 5,999

-24.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.87 PKR 7,752

$27.63 PKR 7,685

0.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 PKR 19.7K

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

-19.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.24 PKR 8,135

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

-26.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.3 PKR 23.7K

$198 PKR 55.1K

-56.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.6 PKR 16.3K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-47.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 PKR 49.4K

$513 PKR 142.6K

-65.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 PKR 34.9K

$296 PKR 82.3K

-57.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$180 PKR 50.0K

$387 PKR 107.8K

-53.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.43

20.2

-13.71%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Multan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $85.3 in Multan versus $198 in Islamabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 116% higher in Islamabad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Multan versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $80.0 vs $98.0 – making Multan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Multan vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $621 per month in Multan and $794 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Multan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Islamabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Multan and $14.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $414 in Multan and $529 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Multan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Multan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Islamabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.