Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Islamabad: $613 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $25,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
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Islamabad Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$613

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Austin, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $613 in Islamabad versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Islamabad $613
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $951 in Islamabad versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Islamabad $951
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,289 in Islamabad versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Islamabad $1,289
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Islamabad costs roughly 77% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Islamabad is 54% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 PKR 983

$20.22 $20.22

-82.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.32 PKR 6,453

$85.0 $85.0

-72.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.50 PKR 1,522

$12.35 $12.35

-55.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 PKR 971

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 PKR 1,950

Cappuccino

$2.72 PKR 753

$5.47 $5.47

-50.27%

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

$0.35 PKR 97.4

$3.82 $3.82

-90.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.8

$2.50 $2.50

-90.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 273

$1.13 $1.13

-12.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 PKR 201

$3.78 $3.78

-80.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 342

$3.25 $3.25

-61.85%

Eggs

$1.31 PKR 363

$4.14 $4.14

-68.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.12 PKR 1,695

$13.08 $13.08

-53.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 PKR 893

$14.31 $14.31

-77.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.44 PKR 1,506

$15.96 $15.96

-65.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 PKR 374

$4.38 $4.38

-69.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 239

$1.45 $1.45

-40.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 298

$4.54 $4.54

-76.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$4.19 $4.19

-86.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 78.3

$2.63 $2.63

-89.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.6

$2.36 $2.36

-84.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 PKR 83.5

$1.76 $1.76

-82.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 PKR 115

$2.16 $2.16

-80.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 549

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 PKR 347

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 PKR 715

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 PKR 642

$9.81 $9.81

-76.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 54.5

$1.49 $1.49

-86.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.45 PKR 5,936

$40.51 $40.51

-47.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 PKR 339

$2.67 $2.67

-53.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 PKR 209

$1.58 $1.58

-52.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PKR 454

$35.29 $35.29

-95.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 PKR 385

$0.99 $0.99

40.40%

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

$53.8K PKR 14.9M

$35.8K $35.8K

50.32%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.6M

$27.2K $27.2K

-11.72%

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

$103 PKR 28.5K

$219 $219

-53.09%

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

$5.76 PKR 1,594

$58.0 $58.0

-90.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.49 PKR 4,564

$68.4 $68.4

-75.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.77 PKR 8,240

$57.9 $57.9

-48.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.62 PKR 2,386

$14.82 $14.82

-41.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.45 PKR 1,233

$14.13 $14.13

-68.51%

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

$74.5 PKR 20.6K

$1,509 $1,509

-95.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,023 PKR 1.4M

$21.5K $21.5K

-76.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.55 PKR 6,793

$51.7 $51.7

-52.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.19 PKR 9,461

$44.05 $44.05

-22.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 PKR 26.6K

$85.1 $85.1

12.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.93 PKR 11.3K

$105 $105

-61.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 PKR 75.2K

$1,932 $1,932

-85.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 PKR 38.0K

$1,272 $1,272

-89.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 PKR 158.4K

$3,670 $3,670

-84.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 PKR 76.0K

$2,525 $2,525

-89.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,677 PKR 464.1K

$7,617 $7,617

-77.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$820 PKR 226.9K

$3,199 $3,199

-74.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$379 PKR 104.8K

$5,105 $5,105

-92.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

6.79

92.64%

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

Last update for Islamabad: October 5, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$137 22.9%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 826% $1.1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$125 20.8%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 176% $221

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$105 17.5%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 284% $298

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$88 14.6%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 46.2% $41

Eating Out

Islamabad

$80 13.3%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 336% $268

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$39 6.4%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 123% $47

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 109% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $272 in Islamabad and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1248% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Islamabad vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $105 vs $403 per month, with Islamabad cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

08:34 8:34 AM

22:34 10:34 PM

10 h behind Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

974,447

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 310 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Islamabad Austin, TX 12,840 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Islamabad
Austin, TX

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

Islamabad vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Islamabad wins on cost – living expenses run 341% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Islamabad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1248% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $272 in Islamabad versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $613 per month in Islamabad versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 341% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Islamabad runs roughly 89% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $613 in Islamabad versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Islamabad but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Islamabad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Islamabad and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Islamabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 341% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.