Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $534 in Islamabad versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $847 in Islamabad versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,160 in Islamabad versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

Living in Islamabad costs roughly 77% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Islamabad is 60% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$17.66 €15.46

-83.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$69.7 €61.0

-79.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$14.16 €12.40

-61.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$2.80 €2.45

-29.64%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$2.81 €2.46

-85.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$2.06 €1.81

-88.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$1.23 €1.08

-21.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$2.03 €1.78

-67.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.98 €1.73

-35.35%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$3.49 €3.05

-65.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$18.33 €16.05

-66.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$9.83 €8.61

-65.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$19.13 €16.75

-77.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$2.73 €2.39

-61.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$2.38 €2.09

-64.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$2.08 €1.82

-56.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$2.75 €2.41

-79.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$1.96 €1.72

-79.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$1.79 €1.57

-68.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$1.48 €1.29

-79.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.91 €0.80

-54.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$7.13 €6.25

-69.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$3.01 €2.64

-94.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$29.35 €25.71

-75.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$4.36 €3.82

-80.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$2.13 €1.86

-79.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$29.60 €25.93

-90.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$1.82 €1.60

-46.15%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$37.9K €33.2K

-44.84%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$32.4K €28.4K

-19.89%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$189 €166

-39.85%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$22.29 €19.52

-75.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$37.16 €32.55

-49.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$58.0 €50.8

-61.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$20.66 €18.09

-70.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$10.87 €9.52

-61.91%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$706 €618

-91.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$14.9K €13.0K

-81.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$89.4 €78.3

-76.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$36.60 €32.06

-24.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$104 €91.1

-15.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$119 €105

-65.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$1,579 €1,383

-87.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$1,238 €1,084

-91.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$2,712 €2,375

-81.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$2,039 €1,786

-85.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$7,527 €6,592

-79.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$5,239 €4,588

-87.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

$2,364 €2,070

-83.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

3.39

495.87%

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

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Islamabad and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 514% 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: $14.00 in Islamabad vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $100 vs $320 per month, with Islamabad cheaper across the board.

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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Islamabad and Barcelona differ by about 334% in total monthly costs ($534 vs $2,320 including rent). Islamabad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 514% lower in Barcelona. 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: $199 in Islamabad versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $60.2 in Islamabad versus $706 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 221% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $534 in Islamabad versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Islamabad but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. 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 Barcelona 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 334% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.