Cost of Living Comparison Between Panaji and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Panaji and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $444 per month in Panaji vs $604 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $690 per month in Panaji vs $939 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $935 per month in Panaji vs $1,275 in Islamabad, rent included.

Panaji is about 26% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Panaji and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Panaji 68% lower, Islamabad 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 ₹258

$3.49 PKR 968

-22.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.83 ₹1,512

$22.94 PKR 6,356

-30.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.64 ₹347

$5.54 PKR 1,535

-34.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 PKR 1,017

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 PKR 1,854

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₹162

$2.57 PKR 711

-34.24%

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

$0.43 ₹41.13

$0.35 PKR 97.3

22.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹17.80

$0.23 PKR 63.9

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₹104

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ₹173

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹65.5

$0.93 PKR 259

-25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 ₹43.70

$0.79 PKR 218

-41.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 ₹76.2

$1.24 PKR 344

-35.48%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹90.6

$1.27 PKR 350

-25.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.59 ₹534

$6.18 PKR 1,712

-9.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₹333

$3.17 PKR 879

9.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.51 PKR 1,527

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 ₹240

$1.29 PKR 358

94.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹78.9

$0.86 PKR 239

-3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ₹121

$1.01 PKR 280

25.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 ₹40.47

$0.49 PKR 134

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹36.09

$0.26 PKR 71.4

46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₹40.09

$0.33 PKR 90.2

27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 ₹80.2

$0.28 PKR 76.6

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹32.90

$0.40 PKR 110

-15.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 550

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 PKR 330

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 PKR 742

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 ₹371

$2.40 PKR 665

62.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 ₹693

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₹76.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₹299

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.45 ₹425

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 ₹13.85

$0.19 PKR 53.4

-26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.22 ₹594

$21.97 PKR 6,086

-71.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 ₹29.46

$1.29 PKR 358

-75.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 ₹48.55

$0.74 PKR 206

-31.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₹200

$1.57 PKR 435

33.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ₹103

$1.30 PKR 359

-16.92%

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

$16.7K ₹1.6M

$53.1K PKR 14.7M

-68.49%

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

$25.1K ₹2.4M

$24.4K PKR 6.8M

2.67%

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

$21.06 ₹2,012

$102 PKR 28.4K

-79.45%

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

$3.49 ₹334

$5.83 PKR 1,616

-40.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.60 ₹821

$15.65 PKR 4,336

-45.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.78 ₹3,037

$27.66 PKR 7,662

14.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.22 ₹307

$8.86 PKR 2,456

-63.66%

Cinema Ticket

$2.84 ₹271

$4.31 PKR 1,194

-34.11%

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

$56.6 ₹5,410

$74.9 PKR 20.7K

-24.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,473 ₹140.7K

$5,069 PKR 1.4M

-70.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.62 ₹3,499

$24.79 PKR 6,868

47.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.63 ₹2,544

$34.54 PKR 9,569

-22.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$21.11 ₹2,017

$96.3 PKR 26.7K

-78.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$16.07 ₹1,535

$39.98 PKR 11.1K

-59.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₹16.9K

$270 PKR 74.7K

-34.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 ₹12.8K

$140 PKR 38.7K

-3.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₹33.6K

$598 PKR 165.6K

-41.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 ₹24.4K

$281 PKR 77.9K

-8.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$942 ₹90.0K

$1,685 PKR 466.9K

-44.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$689 ₹65.8K

$817 PKR 226.3K

-15.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 ₹18.2K

$373 PKR 103.4K

-48.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.74

13.08

-25.54%

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

Last update for Panaji: September 8, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Panaji versus $270 in Islamabad. 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 96% 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 $16.00 in Panaji versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Groceries tell a different story – $112 in Panaji vs $104 in Islamabad – so Islamabad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Panaji vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $666 per month in Panaji and $905 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Panaji, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Islamabad – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Panaji and $23.00 in Islamabad. 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 $444 in Panaji and $604 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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