# Islamabad scores 140.7 in Numbeo's 2026 quality of life index, ahead of Paris, New York and London

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/lifestyle/islamabad-scores-1407-in-numbeos-2026-quality-of-life-index-ahead-of-paris-new)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 13 Oct 2026
Updated: 13 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 13 Oct 2026

> Low living costs and a mild climate lift the capital past three of the world's great cities on a crowd-sourced index. Lahore and Karachi trail far behind, mostly on pollution and safety.

**Islamabad** has a score of **140.7** in Numbeo's **2026 mid-year Quality of Life Index**, placing it ahead of **Paris (138.8), New York (137.3) and London (135.8)**, [ProPakistani reported](https://propakistani.pk/2026/10/12/islamabad-beats-london-paris-and-new-york-in-quality-of-life-index/) from the [Numbeo rankings](https://www.numbeo.com/quality-of-life/rankings.jsp). The capital also finished above Kuala Lumpur, Budapest and Johannesburg.

## Islamabad's scores, part by part

| Measure | Islamabad | What it means |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Overall quality of life | 140.7 | Higher is better |
| Safety | 69.2 | Higher is safer |
| Health care | 63.7 | Higher is better |
| Climate | 76.9 | Higher is milder |
| Pollution | 41.5 | Lower is cleaner |
| Purchasing power | 43.7 | Higher means salaries buy more |
| Cost of living | 25.3 | Lower is cheaper (New York = 100) |

The biggest gap with the Western cities is cost: Islamabad's cost of living reads **25.3** against **100** for New York, **88.2** for London and **78.6** for Paris. That cheapness, together with a good climate score, does most of the lifting.

## Lahore and Karachi far behind

Among Pakistani cities, **Lahore** is second with **98.4** and **Karachi** third with **76.1**. Both lose ground on pollution, traffic and safety; Lahore's score lands as the city enters its smog season, which Punjab is already fighting with crop-fire teams: see [Smog in Lahore](/news/pakistan/smog-in-lahore-punjab-epa-deploys-67-units-to-stop-crop-fires-in-10-districts).

The world's top scores are far higher: **The Hague 221.5**, **Eindhoven 210.7** and **Seattle 182.5**.

## Read it with care

Numbeo's numbers come from **user-contributed data and surveys**, not official statistics, so a city with fewer contributors can move a lot from one release to the next. A low cost-of-living score also does not mean life is cheap for someone earning in rupees: purchasing power, at 43.7, is the better guide to what a local salary buys. To see what your own pay works out to, try our [salary breakdown calculator](/tools/finance/salary-breakdown-calculator), and for renting or buying in the capital, the [rental yield calculator](/tools/property/rental-yield-calculator).

## Frequently asked questions

**What is Islamabad's quality of life score in 2026?**

140.7 in Numbeo's 2026 mid-year Quality of Life Index, as reported by ProPakistani, higher than Paris (138.8), New York (137.3) and London (135.8).

**Is the Numbeo index official?**

No. Numbeo's rankings are built from data and surveys contributed by users, not from government statistics, so treat them as a rough guide.

## Sources

- Numbeo Quality of Life Index by City 2026 Mid-Year (Numbeo): https://www.numbeo.com/quality-of-life/rankings.jsp
- Islamabad Beats London, Paris and New York in Quality of Life Index (12 Oct 2026) (ProPakistani): https://propakistani.pk/2026/10/12/islamabad-beats-london-paris-and-new-york-in-quality-of-life-index/

How to cite: "Islamabad scores 140.7 in Numbeo's 2026 quality of life index, ahead of Paris, New York and London", Searchable, 13 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/lifestyle/islamabad-scores-1407-in-numbeos-2026-quality-of-life-index-ahead-of-paris-new