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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $474 per month in Panaji vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $764 per month in Panaji vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,055 per month in Panaji vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Panaji is about 10% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Panaji and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Panaji 65% lower, Islamabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ₹331

$2.80 PKR 779

23.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.57 ₹1,674

$14.22 PKR 3,955

23.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.87 ₹369

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-28.86%

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

$2.13 ₹203

$2.00 PKR 557

6.50%

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

$0.46 ₹43.78

$0.43 PKR 119

6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹16.73

$0.22 PKR 61.1

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₹113

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₹192

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 ₹79.0

$0.94 PKR 260

-11.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹45.61

$0.62 PKR 173

-22.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.5

$1.21 PKR 338

-35.54%

Eggs

$0.99 ₹94.5

$1.20 PKR 335

-17.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.87 ₹559

$6.07 PKR 1,690

-3.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ₹374

$3.39 PKR 942

15.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 ₹236

$1.03 PKR 287

139.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 ₹85.2

$0.78 PKR 216

14.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ₹129

$0.93 PKR 260

45.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.62 ₹59.0

$0.60 PKR 166

3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 ₹43.20

$0.41 PKR 115

9.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₹43.43

$0.54 PKR 149

-14.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 ₹89.8

$0.34 PKR 93.3

176.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₹35.61

$0.37 PKR 103

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 538

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 553

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ₹269

$2.14 PKR 596

31.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 ₹691

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₹101

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ₹328

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

$4.54 ₹432

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 ₹17.86

$0.19 PKR 52.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.16 ₹682

$6.90 PKR 1,921

3.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 ₹43.10

$0.86 PKR 238

-47.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₹141

$2.81 PKR 782

-47.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$0.91 PKR 253

30.77%

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

$10.7K ₹1.0M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-50.13%

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

$23.9K ₹2.3M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-8.60%

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

$23.32 ₹2,222

$112 PKR 31.1K

-79.13%

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

$4.25 ₹405

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-21.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.63 ₹918

$18.81 PKR 5,234

-48.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.21 ₹3,259

$22.19 PKR 6,174

54.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.46 ₹330

$6.04 PKR 1,679

-42.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 ₹297

$4.21 PKR 1,171

-25.89%

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

$61.9 ₹5,892

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

2.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,611 ₹153.4K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

-42.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.89 ₹3,895

$21.57 PKR 5,999

89.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.65 ₹2,729

$27.63 PKR 7,686

3.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.90 ₹2,181

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

-74.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.18 ₹1,637

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

-56.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 ₹18.7K

$198 PKR 55.1K

-0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 ₹13.9K

$112 PKR 31.1K

30.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₹37.0K

$513 PKR 142.6K

-24.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 ₹27.0K

$296 PKR 82.3K

-4.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$906 ₹86.3K

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

-41.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$688 ₹65.6K

$657 PKR 182.9K

4.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$189 ₹18.0K

$387 PKR 107.8K

-51.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.62

20.2

-52.38%

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

Last update for Panaji: June 2, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in Panaji versus $198 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 105% 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 $18.00 in Panaji versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $121 vs $98.0 – making Islamabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 12%, 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 $711 per month in Panaji and $794 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 23% 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 $18.00 in Panaji and $14.00 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 $474 in Panaji and $529 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.