🇵🇰 Pakistan · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Islamabad? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
What things cost
Two-bed apartment, F-6, F-7 or F-8PKR 90,000–200,000 / month
Two-bed apartment, G-11, E-11 or I-8PKR 50,000–100,000 / month
Utilities and internet, one householdPKR 18,000–45,000 / month, with winter gas and summer cooling the swings
Groceries, one personPKR 30,000–50,000 / month — the most expensive of the three cities
Good to know
Population
≈1.2–2.4 million in the Islamabad Capital Territory; roughly 5 million including Rawalpindi
Languages
Urdu and English dominate; Potohari and Punjabi are the local vernaculars, and Islamabad has the highest working use of English of any Pakistani city
Currency
Pakistani rupee (PKR)
Time zone
PKT (GMT+5) — no daylight saving
Power plug
Type C and D, 230 V
Climate
Humid subtropical at the foot of the hills — hot summers around 38°C, a strong monsoon, cool winters near freezing at night, and occasional snow on the Margallas
City layout
A grid of sectors from Doxiadis's 1960 master plan, lettered A–I and numbered, each roughly 2 km square with its own markaz
Governing body
The Capital Development Authority controls land and planning; ICT Administration and Islamabad Police handle civil administration. There is no provincial government
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Islamabad checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Islamabad
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.