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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $486 per month in Panaji vs $534 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $775 per month in Panaji vs $847 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,064 per month in Panaji vs $1,160 in Islamabad, rent included.

Panaji is about 9% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Panaji and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Panaji 64% lower, Islamabad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 ₹346

$2.85 PKR 790

25.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.54 ₹1,688

$14.26 PKR 3,955

23.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 ₹376

$5.44 PKR 1,509

-28.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,059

Cappuccino

$2.22 ₹214

$1.97 PKR 547

12.69%

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

$0.46 ₹43.86

$0.40 PKR 110

15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.42

$0.24 PKR 67.0

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₹113

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 ₹79.2

$0.96 PKR 268

-14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.01

$0.66 PKR 183

-22.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.7

$1.28 PKR 354

-39.84%

Eggs

$0.99 ₹95.5

$1.20 PKR 334

-17.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.94 ₹572

$6.07 PKR 1,685

-2.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ₹380

$3.37 PKR 935

17.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,207

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 ₹246

$1.04 PKR 289

146.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 ₹85.8

$0.84 PKR 233

5.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₹125

$0.91 PKR 252

41.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹63.6

$0.56 PKR 156

17.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 ₹43.37

$0.41 PKR 115

9.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ₹47.15

$0.57 PKR 158

-14.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₹91.5

$0.31 PKR 85.3

206.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₹36.27

$0.41 PKR 113

-7.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 257

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 566

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₹286

$2.14 PKR 594

38.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.16 ₹690

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₹96.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₹326

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

$4.75 ₹457

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ₹15.57

$0.17 PKR 46.45

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.12 ₹686

$7.22 PKR 2,003

-1.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 ₹43.80

$0.85 PKR 236

-47.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ₹142

$2.79 PKR 774

-47.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₹111

$0.98 PKR 271

17.35%

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

$11.0K ₹1.1M

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

-47.55%

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

$24.4K ₹2.3M

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

-6.08%

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

$23.36 ₹2,249

$114 PKR 31.5K

-79.45%

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

$4.26 ₹410

$5.41 PKR 1,499

-21.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.45 ₹910

$18.69 PKR 5,184

-49.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.59 ₹3,330

$22.13 PKR 6,136

56.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.46 ₹333

$6.12 PKR 1,696

-43.46%

Cinema Ticket

$3.23 ₹311

$4.14 PKR 1,148

-21.98%

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

$60.5 ₹5,828

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

0.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,625 ₹156.5K

$2,753 PKR 763.5K

-40.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.17 ₹3,964

$21.08 PKR 5,846

95.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.50 ₹2,744

$27.64 PKR 7,664

3.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.46 ₹2,259

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

-73.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.56 ₹1,690

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

-57.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 ₹18.4K

$199 PKR 55.2K

-4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 ₹14.3K

$110 PKR 30.5K

34.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₹37.6K

$505 PKR 140.0K

-22.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ₹27.1K

$299 PKR 82.9K

-5.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$896 ₹86.3K

$1,513 PKR 419.5K

-40.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$695 ₹66.9K

$647 PKR 179.5K

7.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$186 ₹17.9K

$385 PKR 106.8K

-51.65%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $191 in Panaji versus $199 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 107% 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 $100 – 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 10%, 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 $730 per month in Panaji and $801 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 22% 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 $486 in Panaji and $534 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.