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: $589 in Islamabad versus $2,495 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $918 in Islamabad versus $3,550 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,246 in Islamabad versus $4,605 in Barcelona.

Living in Islamabad costs roughly 76% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Islamabad is 57% below, Barcelona is 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 990

$18.39 €15.81

-80.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 PKR 6,309

$69.2 €59.5

-67.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PKR 1,517

$14.13 €12.15

-61.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 986

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,862

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$3.13 €2.69

-23.64%

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

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$3.02 €2.59

-89.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$1.96 €1.69

-88.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.09

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 275

$1.25 €1.07

-20.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 220

$2.16 €1.86

-63.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 354

$1.69 €1.45

-24.26%

Eggs

$1.28 PKR 356

$4.93 €4.24

-74.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,695

$17.88 €15.37

-65.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 PKR 849

$9.61 €8.26

-68.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 PKR 1,421

$19.34 €16.63

-73.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 PKR 371

$3.24 €2.78

-58.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$2.18 €1.87

-61.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$2.67 €2.30

-61.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$2.77 €2.38

-82.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.2

$2.21 €1.90

-86.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$2.19 €1.88

-84.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 PKR 80.8

$1.52 €1.31

-80.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.92 €0.79

-58.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 652

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 PKR 632

$7.12 €6.12

-67.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €6.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.31

$3.15 €2.71

-94.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PKR 5,889

$26.99 €23.21

-21.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 PKR 353

$3.25 €2.79

-60.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 191

$1.50 €1.29

-54.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 459

$34.89 €30.00

-95.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 365

$1.75 €1.50

-24.57%

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

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

$36.7K €31.5K

47.15%

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

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

$30.9K €26.6K

-18.86%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$188 €161

-45.58%

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

$5.83 PKR 1,618

$15.44 €13.27

-62.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.34 PKR 4,534

$37.80 €32.49

-56.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.09 PKR 8,071

$57.2 €49.16

-49.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,478

$16.80 €14.44

-46.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 PKR 1,390

$11.58 €9.95

-56.74%

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

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

$1,003 €862

-92.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$17.0K €14.6K

-70.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.55 PKR 6,532

$89.2 €76.7

-73.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 PKR 9,066

$40.87 €35.14

-20.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

$110 €94.5

-24.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

$123 €105

-67.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.8K

$1,673 €1,438

-83.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 PKR 40.0K

$1,331 €1,145

-89.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 160.1K

$2,596 €2,232

-77.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 PKR 73.9K

$1,950 €1,676

-86.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

$7,573 €6,511

-78.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 PKR 230.1K

$5,370 €4,617

-84.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.8K

$2,402 €2,065

-84.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

3.16

313.92%

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

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $277 in Islamabad and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 530% 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 $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $103 vs $332 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 323% in total monthly costs ($589 vs $2,495 including rent). Islamabad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 530% 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: $277 in Islamabad versus $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $75.0 in Islamabad versus $1,003 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 223% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $589 in Islamabad versus $2,495 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 323% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.