Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Quetta

For one person, living is cheaper in Quetta: $415 a month against $607 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 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
20

Cost of Living Index in Quetta
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Quetta Living Index

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Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$607

/mo nomad

Quetta

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$415

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Quetta

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

A single person spends $607 per month in Islamabad vs $415 in Quetta, rent included.

Islamabad $607
Quetta $415

A couple spends around $948 per month in Islamabad vs $620 in Quetta, rent included.

Islamabad $948
Quetta $620

A family of three spends $1,289 per month in Islamabad vs $826 in Quetta, rent included.

Islamabad $1,289
Quetta $826

Islamabad costs about 46% more than Quetta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Islamabad and Quetta are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 55% lower, Quetta 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 PKR 968

$3.51 PKR 971

-0.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.76 PKR 6,292

$10.77 PKR 2,978

111.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 PKR 1,485

$4.59 PKR 1,269

16.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 PKR 990

$1.86 PKR 514

92.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 PKR 1,885

$5.17 PKR 1,429

31.91%

Cappuccino

$2.56 PKR 708

$1.65 PKR 455

55.15%

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

$0.32 PKR 87.1

$0.41 PKR 114

-21.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 57.9

$0.17 PKR 48.30

23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 270

$0.75 PKR 206

30.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 PKR 198

$0.55 PKR 152

29.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 358

$1.28 PKR 353

1.56%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 334

$1.18 PKR 327

2.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,671

$5.02 PKR 1,387

20.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 PKR 843

$2.95 PKR 816

3.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.38 PKR 1,487

$5.18 PKR 1,433

3.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 PKR 369

$0.99 PKR 274

34.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 239

$0.56 PKR 155

53.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 295

$0.69 PKR 190

55.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.55 PKR 152

-5.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 73.6

$0.32 PKR 88.6

-15.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.52 PKR 143

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.7

$0.42 PKR 117

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.40 PKR 110

7.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.99 PKR 550

$1.83 PKR 507

8.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 PKR 342

$1.20 PKR 332

3.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 PKR 722

$2.41 PKR 667

8.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 PKR 653

$2.04 PKR 563

15.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 45.72

$0.14 PKR 37.85

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 PKR 5,965

$9.01 PKR 2,490

139.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 PKR 342

$1.04 PKR 288

19.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 206

$0.47 PKR 129

57.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 PKR 446

$1.53 PKR 424

5.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 PKR 364

$1.15 PKR 317

13.91%

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

$54.9K PKR 15.2M

$19.9K PKR 5.5M

175.59%

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

$23.7K PKR 6.5M

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

0.90%

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

$104 PKR 28.6K

$100 PKR 27.7K

3.34%

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

$6.11 PKR 1,689

$7.95 PKR 2,198

-23.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.21 PKR 4,758

$16.48 PKR 4,557

4.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.65 PKR 9,301

$5.81 PKR 1,607

479.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 PKR 2,356

$7.46 PKR 2,061

14.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 PKR 1,358

$3.23 PKR 893

52.01%

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

$326 PKR 90.0K

$35.14 PKR 9,715

826.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,917 PKR 1.4M

$1,039 PKR 287.2K

373.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.22 PKR 7,249

$8.05 PKR 2,226

225.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.05 PKR 9,689

$22.10 PKR 6,109

58.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 PKR 27.1K

$68.8 PKR 19.0K

42.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.45 PKR 11.2K

$33.98 PKR 9,394

19.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 PKR 72.0K

$71.3 PKR 19.7K

265.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 PKR 38.6K

$50.7 PKR 14.0K

175.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 PKR 153.9K

$164 PKR 45.4K

239.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 PKR 79.5K

$101 PKR 27.8K

185.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 PKR 467.3K

$386 PKR 106.8K

337.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$839 PKR 232.0K

$222 PKR 61.5K

277.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.5K

$274 PKR 75.8K

40.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

0.62%

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

Last update for Islamabad: October 24, 2026

Last update for Quetta: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$140 23%

Quetta

$51 12.2% 63.7% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$127 20.9%

Quetta

$125 30.1% 1.7% $2.2

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$103 17%

Quetta

$90 21.8% 12.2% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$90 14.8%

Quetta

$60 14.4% 33.5% $30

Eating Out

Islamabad

$77 12.7%

Quetta

$64 15.4% 16.9% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$43 7.2%

Quetta

$12 3% 71.8% $31

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Quetta

$13 3.1% 52.5% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $261 in Islamabad versus $71 in Quetta. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 41% higher in Islamabad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Islamabad versus $11 in Quetta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $90 – making Quetta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇵🇰 Quetta

🕒 Local time

09:42 9:42 AM

Same time as Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

1,001,205

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Islamabad Quetta 690 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Islamabad
Quetta

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 Quetta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 46%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $911 per month in Islamabad and $622 in Quetta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quetta, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $71 there versus $261 in Islamabad.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Islamabad, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Islamabad and $11 in Quetta. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $607 in Islamabad and $415 in Quetta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Quetta – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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