Cost of Living Comparison Between Muzaffarabad and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Muzaffarabad and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $406 per month in Muzaffarabad vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $621 per month in Muzaffarabad vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $836 per month in Muzaffarabad vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Muzaffarabad is about 31% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Muzaffarabad and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Muzaffarabad 70% lower, Islamabad 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.41 PKR 392

$3.57 PKR 990

-60.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.39 PKR 4,547

$22.74 PKR 6,309

-27.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.18 PKR 604

$5.47 PKR 1,517

-60.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 PKR 411

$3.55 PKR 986

-58.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 947

$6.71 PKR 1,862

-49.03%

Cappuccino

$1.05 PKR 291

$2.39 PKR 663

-56.07%

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

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.32 PKR 90.0

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.6

$0.22 PKR 60.8

13.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.99 PKR 275

-15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.79 PKR 220

-25.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$1.28 PKR 354

-20.31%

Eggs

$0.88 PKR 243

$1.28 PKR 356

-31.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.34 PKR 1,760

$6.11 PKR 1,695

3.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 PKR 708

$3.06 PKR 849

-16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.17 PKR 879

$5.12 PKR 1,421

-38.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.34 PKR 371

-17.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 PKR 226

$0.84 PKR 232

-3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 103

$1.02 PKR 282

-63.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.9

$0.49 PKR 135

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 96.9

$0.29 PKR 81.2

20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 83.6

$0.33 PKR 90.4

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.7

$0.29 PKR 80.8

13.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 95.3

$0.38 PKR 106

-10.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 PKR 495

$1.90 PKR 528

-6.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 PKR 321

$1.38 PKR 383

-15.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 657

$2.35 PKR 652

0.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.93 PKR 258

$2.28 PKR 632

-59.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.3

$0.16 PKR 44.31

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.56 PKR 2,653

$21.23 PKR 5,889

-54.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.27 PKR 353

-26.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.69 PKR 191

-46.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 PKR 439

$1.65 PKR 459

-4.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 PKR 277

$1.32 PKR 365

-24.24%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-66.73%

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

$24.3K PKR 6.7M

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

-3.34%

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

$115 PKR 31.9K

$102 PKR 28.3K

12.66%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,541

$5.83 PKR 1,618

-4.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.86 PKR 2,459

$16.34 PKR 4,534

-45.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.47 PKR 4,015

$29.09 PKR 8,071

-50.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,478

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,182

$5.01 PKR 1,390

-14.97%

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

$49.51 PKR 13.7K

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

-34.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$839 PKR 232.6K

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

-83.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$5.52 PKR 1,532

$23.55 PKR 6,532

-76.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.14 PKR 2,535

$32.68 PKR 9,066

-72.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 PKR 25.0K

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

8.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$10.71 PKR 2,970

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

-72.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 PKR 34.8K

$277 PKR 76.8K

-54.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.0 PKR 21.4K

$144 PKR 40.0K

-46.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 PKR 69.1K

$577 PKR 160.1K

-56.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 PKR 41.8K

$266 PKR 73.9K

-43.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$945 PKR 262.2K

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

-42.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$527 PKR 146.2K

$829 PKR 230.1K

-36.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$294 PKR 81.6K

$381 PKR 105.8K

-22.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

14.68%

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

Last update for Muzaffarabad: September 1, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Muzaffarabad versus $277 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 30% 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 $16.00 in Muzaffarabad versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $84.0 vs $103 – making Muzaffarabad 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

Muzaffarabad vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $609 per month in Muzaffarabad and $884 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $16.00 in Muzaffarabad and $23.00 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 $406 in Muzaffarabad and $589 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Muzaffarabad – 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 Muzaffarabad. 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.