Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gilgit and Islamabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Gilgit: $447 a month against $608 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

22

Cost of Living Index in Gilgit
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Gilgit Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
Learn more

Islamabad Living Index

Jump to prices

Gilgit

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$447

/mo nomad

Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gilgit and in Islamabad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gilgit and in Islamabad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $447 per month in Gilgit vs $608 in Islamabad, rent included.

Gilgit $447
Islamabad $608

A couple spends around $670 per month in Gilgit vs $950 in Islamabad, rent included.

Gilgit $670
Islamabad $950

A family of three spends $894 per month in Gilgit vs $1,292 in Islamabad, rent included.

Gilgit $894
Islamabad $1,292

Gilgit is about 27% cheaper than Islamabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Gilgit and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Gilgit 67% lower, Islamabad 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.49 PKR 411

$3.57 PKR 986

-58.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.71 PKR 2,962

$24.14 PKR 6,678

-55.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 PKR 1,473

$5.37 PKR 1,484

-0.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 PKR 690

$3.73 PKR 1,031

-32.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 PKR 1,407

$7.04 PKR 1,948

-27.70%

Cappuccino

$1.59 PKR 441

$2.67 PKR 739

-40.45%

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

$0.32 PKR 88.2

$0.35 PKR 95.7

-8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 62.7

$0.24 PKR 66.6

-4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 PKR 223

$0.99 PKR 273

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 172

$0.74 PKR 203

-16.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PKR 312

$1.29 PKR 358

-12.40%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 317

$1.32 PKR 366

-12.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.63 PKR 1,557

$5.97 PKR 1,653

-5.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.46 PKR 681

$3.03 PKR 838

-18.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.84 PKR 1,339

$5.52 PKR 1,528

-12.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 309

$1.35 PKR 374

-17.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 160

$0.86 PKR 239

-32.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$1.04 PKR 287

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 143

$0.55 PKR 151

-5.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 77.3

$0.30 PKR 83.3

-6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.40 PKR 110

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.28 PKR 77.1

53.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.43 PKR 118

-11.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.89 PKR 522

$2.00 PKR 552

-5.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 PKR 303

$1.25 PKR 347

-12.80%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 674

$2.64 PKR 729

-7.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 545

$2.36 PKR 652

-16.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.69

$0.17 PKR 46.19

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.05 PKR 2,781

$21.61 PKR 5,977

-53.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 PKR 295

$1.28 PKR 355

-16.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 PKR 196

$0.70 PKR 194

1.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 PKR 448

$1.65 PKR 456

-1.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 PKR 325

$1.33 PKR 369

-12.03%

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

$22.0K PKR 6.1M

$54.3K PKR 15.0M

-59.51%

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

$23.2K PKR 6.4M

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

0.40%

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

$101 PKR 27.8K

$103 PKR 28.4K

-2.23%

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

$5.66 PKR 1,567

$6.17 PKR 1,707

-8.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.23 PKR 3,936

$17.36 PKR 4,802

-18.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.85 PKR 4,107

$33.65 PKR 9,308

-55.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.85 PKR 2,173

$8.62 PKR 2,384

-8.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 PKR 1,176

$4.97 PKR 1,376

-14.49%

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

$42.28 PKR 11.7K

$326 PKR 90.2K

-87.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,047 PKR 289.7K

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

-95.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.72 PKR 4,625

$25.82 PKR 7,142

-35.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.58 PKR 6,246

$34.52 PKR 9,548

-34.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.5 PKR 18.7K

$95.6 PKR 26.4K

-29.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.35 PKR 8,948

$41.07 PKR 11.4K

-21.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$134 PKR 37.2K

$248 PKR 68.5K

-45.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.0 PKR 23.8K

$139 PKR 38.5K

-38.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 PKR 75.2K

$549 PKR 151.7K

-50.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 PKR 49.2K

$280 PKR 77.5K

-36.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$810 PKR 224.2K

$1,655 PKR 457.9K

-51.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$499 PKR 138.0K

$825 PKR 228.1K

-39.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$384 PKR 106.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

-0.61%

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

Last update for Gilgit: November 1, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gilgit

$120 27%

Islamabad

$126 20.8% 4.9% $5.9

Groceries & Markets

Gilgit

$90 20.1%

Islamabad

$104 17.1% 16.1% $14

Accommodation & Living

Gilgit

$86 19.3%

Islamabad

$139 22.9% 61.9% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Gilgit

$63 14%

Islamabad

$89 14.6% 41.6% $26

Eating Out

Gilgit

$49 11%

Islamabad

$79 13% 60.7% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Gilgit

$23 5.2%

Islamabad

$44 7.2% 86.7% $20

Getting Around

Gilgit

$15 3.4%

Islamabad

$27 4.5% 77% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $134 in Gilgit versus $248 in Islamabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11 in Gilgit versus $24 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $90 vs $104 – making Gilgit the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Gilgit

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🕒 Local time

23:22 11:22 PM

Same time as Gilgit

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

216,760

1,009,832 Capital

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Gilgit Islamabad 270 km

From you

Gilgit
Islamabad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Gilgit vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Islamabad costs about 36% more than Gilgit, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $670 per month in Gilgit and $912 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gilgit, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $134 there versus $248 in Islamabad.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Islamabad, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11 in Gilgit and $24 in Islamabad. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $447 in Gilgit and $608 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Gilgit is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 27% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.