Islamabad vs Stockholm Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Islamabad vs Stockholm: everyday costs favor Islamabad (~326% CPI gap), housing index favors Islamabad, wage stretch favors Stockholm. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Islamabad
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Restaurants (367% gap, Islamabad ahead); Purchasing Power (280% gap, Stockholm ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $994 lower in Islamabad than in Stockholm (~275% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $994 (favoring Islamabad).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Islamabad | CPI 16.3 vs 69.4 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Islamabad | Rent index 9.4 vs 35.4 (lower is better) |
| Food | Islamabad | Groceries index 23.8 vs 67 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Stockholm | One-way ticket 19.73 vs 87.07 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Stockholm | Utilities (85m²) 743.4 vs 5226.4 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Stockholm | Internet 476.28 vs 3775.24 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Islamabad | Restaurant index 15 vs 70 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Islamabad | Avg net salary 482608 vs 69266.4 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Stockholm | PP index 106.4 vs 28 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Restaurants: Islamabad leads with a 367% gap.
Restaurant index 15 vs 70 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Islamabad — Lower housing / rent index (277% gap).
- Families: Islamabad — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Islamabad; purchasing power favors Stockholm.
- Remote Workers: Islamabad — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Islamabad (~326% gap).
- Budget Living: Islamabad — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Islamabad is the overall cost winner on CPI (~326% lower everyday-cost index than Stockholm).
- Housing: Islamabad leads on rent index (277% gap).
- Food / groceries: Islamabad is lower (182% gap).
- Purchasing power: Stockholm scores higher (280% gap).
- Largest category gap: Restaurants (367%), favoring Islamabad.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$994 cheaper in Islamabad.
Analysis
Islamabad versus Stockholm is not a single number. With a 326% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Islamabad, while housing follows Islamabad's rent index. Purchasing power (28 vs 106.4) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.