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: $529 in Islamabad versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $835 in Islamabad versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,141 in Islamabad versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Islamabad costs roughly 78% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Islamabad is 61% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$17.58 €15.14

-84.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,955

$68.4 €58.9

-79.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$14.06 €12.10

-61.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$2.78 €2.39

-28.06%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$2.80 €2.41

-84.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$2.06 €1.78

-89.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.97

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$1.24 €1.07

-24.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$2.03 €1.75

-69.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.92 €1.65

-36.98%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$3.31 €2.85

-63.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,689

$18.43 €15.87

-67.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$9.49 €8.17

-64.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

$19.16 €16.49

-77.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$2.64 €2.27

-60.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$2.45 €2.11

-68.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$2.12 €1.83

-56.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$2.85 €2.45

-78.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$2.04 €1.75

-79.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$1.85 €1.59

-70.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$1.47 €1.27

-76.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.84 €0.73

-55.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$7.14 €6.15

-70.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$2.98 €2.57

-93.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,921

$29.26 €25.19

-76.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 238

$4.60 €3.96

-81.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$2.07 €1.78

-78.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$29.18 €25.12

-90.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$1.84 €1.58

-50.54%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$39.0K €33.6K

-44.86%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$32.7K €28.1K

-20.03%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$188 €162

-40.51%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$22.93 €19.74

-76.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,234

$36.71 €31.61

-48.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,174

$57.4 €49.39

-61.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,679

$20.70 €17.82

-70.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

$11.19 €9.64

-62.38%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$721 €621

-91.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

$15.0K €13.0K

-81.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 5,999

$86.2 €74.2

-74.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,686

$37.07 €31.92

-25.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$102 €87.8

-13.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$116 €99.8

-65.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$1,534 €1,320

-87.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$1,220 €1,051

-90.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.6K

$2,696 €2,321

-80.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$2,013 €1,733

-85.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

$7,220 €6,216

-78.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

$5,189 €4,467

-87.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

$2,359 €2,031

-83.58%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Islamabad and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 509% 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 $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $98.0 vs $318 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 347% in total monthly costs ($529 vs $2,367 including rent). Islamabad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 509% less. 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: $198 in Islamabad versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $60.3 in Islamabad versus $721 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 224% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $529 in Islamabad versus $2,367 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 347% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.