Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Islamabad: $608 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
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Islamabad Living Index
73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$608

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Istanbul

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 Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $608 per month in Islamabad vs $1,519 in Istanbul, rent included.

Islamabad $608
Istanbul $1,519

A couple spends around $950 per month in Islamabad vs $2,365 in Istanbul, rent included.

Islamabad $950
Istanbul $2,365

A family of three spends $1,292 per month in Islamabad vs $3,212 in Istanbul, rent included.

Islamabad $1,292
Istanbul $3,212

Islamabad is about 60% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Islamabad sits 55% below the global median, while Istanbul is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 986

$11.81 ₺592

-69.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 PKR 6,677

$54.9 ₺2,754

-56.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 PKR 1,484

$9.26 ₺465

-42.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 PKR 1,031

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 PKR 1,948

Cappuccino

$2.67 PKR 739

$4.30 ₺216

-37.91%

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

$0.35 PKR 95.7

$1.77 ₺89.0

-80.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.6

$0.56 ₺28.32

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺235

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺357

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 273

$1.25 ₺62.7

-20.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 PKR 203

$0.88 ₺44.17

-15.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 358

$2.20 ₺111

-41.36%

Eggs

$1.32 PKR 366

$2.43 ₺122

-45.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 PKR 1,653

$10.48 ₺526

-43.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 PKR 838

$5.31 ₺267

-42.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.52 PKR 1,527

$21.10 ₺1,058

-73.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 PKR 373

$1.86 ₺93.1

-27.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 239

$2.30 ₺115

-62.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 286

$1.22 ₺61.0

-14.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 151

$1.80 ₺90.2

-69.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 83.3

$0.69 ₺34.83

-56.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.64 ₺32.16

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 77.1

$1.36 ₺68.0

-79.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.58 ₺28.94

-25.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 552

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 PKR 347

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 PKR 729

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 PKR 652

$2.34 ₺117

0.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.19

$0.88 ₺44.07

-80.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.61 PKR 5,976

$66.1 ₺3,316

-67.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.28 ₺64.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 194

$0.85 ₺42.80

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 456

$11.09 ₺556

-85.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 PKR 369

$1.48 ₺74.0

-10.14%

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

$54.3K PKR 15.0M

$48.6K ₺2.4M

11.58%

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

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

$42.0K ₺2.1M

-44.88%

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

$103 PKR 28.4K

$92.7 ₺4,650

10.94%

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

$6.17 PKR 1,706

$11.20 ₺562

-44.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 PKR 4,801

$15.89 ₺797

9.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.65 PKR 9,307

$74.7 ₺3,745

-54.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.62 PKR 2,384

$22.95 ₺1,151

-62.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 PKR 1,376

$8.05 ₺404

-38.26%

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

$326 PKR 90.2K

$948 ₺47.6K

-65.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

$36.9K ₺1.9M

-39.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.82 PKR 7,142

$53.9 ₺2,702

-52.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.52 PKR 9,546

$41.49 ₺2,081

-16.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 PKR 26.4K

$101 ₺5,060

-5.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.07 PKR 11.4K

$91.3 ₺4,580

-55.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 PKR 68.5K

$1,014 ₺50.8K

-75.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PKR 38.5K

$625 ₺31.3K

-77.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 PKR 151.7K

$2,005 ₺100.6K

-72.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 PKR 77.4K

$1,126 ₺56.5K

-75.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,655 PKR 457.8K

$2,988 ₺149.8K

-44.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$825 PKR 228.1K

$1,730 ₺86.8K

-52.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$384 PKR 106.1K

$1,136 ₺57.0K

-66.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

40.42

-67.64%

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

Last update for Islamabad: November 1, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$139 22.9%

Istanbul

$625 41.1% 349% $485

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$126 20.8%

Istanbul

$120 7.9% 5.2% $6.6

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$104 17.1%

Istanbul

$258 17% 148% $154

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$89 14.6%

Istanbul

$129 8.5% 45.9% $41

Eating Out

Islamabad

$79 13%

Istanbul

$221 14.6% 180% $142

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$44 7.2%

Istanbul

$91 6% 108% $47

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Istanbul

$75 5% 178% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $248 in Islamabad versus $1,014 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Istanbul are about 3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Islamabad versus $55 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $104 vs $258 – making Islamabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

18:49 6:49 PM

16:49 4:49 PM

2 h behind Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.33 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Islamabad Istanbul 3,940 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Islamabad
Istanbul

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 Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 150%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $912 per month in Islamabad and $2,278 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Islamabad, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $248 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Groceries cost about 148% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Islamabad and $55 in Istanbul. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Islamabad, where all-in costs run around $608, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Islamabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Islamabad – 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.

If budget matters most, go with Islamabad. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.