๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฐ Pakistan · 2026

Cost of Living in Islamabad

Close to the Pakistan average

Ranked #555 of 577 cities · More expensive than 3.8% of cities worldwide

+1.7%
Cost of Living
+34.9%
Rent
+1.0%
Groceries
+42.9%
Purchasing Power

Compared to Pakistan average · See Pakistan ranking โ†’

Rent Prices in Islamabad

Apartment City Centre Outside Centre You Save
1-Bedroom PKR 75,574/mo โ‰ˆ $273 PKR 38,694/mo โ‰ˆ $140 49%
3-Bedroom PKR 159,686/mo โ‰ˆ $576 PKR 76,336/mo โ‰ˆ $276 52%
Numbeo · 2026-10-02

Multi-Source Comparison

โ˜…โ˜… Medium Confidence

Islamabad has a cost of living index of 12.3 (New York = 100, rent included), the average of 2 of 3 data sources. Numbeo is left out because it sits more than 15% away from the others.

12.3
Index
3
Sources
3.5
Gap between sources

Source Values (NYC = 100)

Numbeo
16.9
left out
Expatistan
14.0
LivingCost
10.5
ShouldIMove price index
No data

ShouldIMove price index: our own basket of real item prices plus rent.

Cost Indices

Cost of Living
+1.7% Average
Rent
+34.9% Very expensive
Groceries
+1.0% Average
Restaurants
+22.7% Very expensive
Purchasing Power
+42.9% Very strong

Living in Islamabad: What to Expect

Islamabad is very affordable by global standards (ranked #555 of 577 cities). It is 1.7% more expensive than the Pakistan average, based on 4 cities.

Groceries are average and dining out is very expensive. The best value is groceries and the priciest is rent.

Local purchasing power is limited: residents can afford fewer goods and services than in most cities.

How Does Islamabad Compare?

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