Kazakhstan
PakistanAstana makes sense if
- You want the easier housing and budget equation in this comparison.
- A calmer day-to-day safety profile matters most to you.
- Access to stronger healthcare matters most to you.
Astana vs Islamabad
Astana is a purpose-built capital of broad avenues and striking modern architecture, but its long, bitter winter shapes much of the year. Islamabad sits against the Margalla Hills, where greenery and outdoor escapes soften the scale of a planned city; heat, transport needs and local conditions still shape daily comfort.
The grey shape is all 283 cities; each row says whether lower or higher is better. Ratings out of 10 are our reviewed estimates; the rest is published data. How we measure
The choice in one minute
Islamabad makes sense if
- You value stronger public spaces and everyday city life.
What matters to you
Set how much each area counts. The ranking updates as you go. Climate and values are left out because there is no better or worse there, only your taste.
Money
Nature & outdoors
City life
Safety & health
Work & family
Moving & settling in
- 1Islamabad58
Leads on nature & outdoors; stands out for hiking and forests.
- 2Astana55
Leads on money, safety & health, work & family and moving & settling in; stands out for rent that fits local pay and easier visas.
Scores out of 100, averaged from the areas you weighted. For a ranking built around your own situation, take the quiz.
Side by side
Money
Rent on a new lease, everyday prices and tax.
Section score out of 100
Astana77Islamabad73
One-bedroom rent
Per month, new lease, citywide
$135/mo$2,444/mo
- $583/mo
- $144/mo, leads
Rent as share of local pay
One-bedroom rent vs. typical net local pay
21%120%
- ~61%, leads
- >100%
Everyday prices
Excluding rent · United States = 100
25131
- 39
- 26, leads
Income tax + social contributions
Range: average-wage rate to top marginal rate; the dot marks its midpoint
0%46%
- 18–18%
- 1–35%
Climate
The year month by month. Whether it suits you is yours to judge.
Solid line: average daytime high. Dashed: night-time low. Point at the chart for any month; point at a city name to shade its range.
Bright days
Under 80% cloud and under 1 mm rain
30 days347 days
- 198 days
- 258 days, leads
Muggy days
Days that feel sticky (dew point)
0 days365 days
- 5 days, leads
- 121 days
Air pollution
Annual mean fine particles (PM2.5)
4.6 µg/m³84 µg/m³
- 16.6 µg/m³, leads
- 61.2 µg/m³
Nature & outdoors
How easily you get to water, mountains and green space.
Section score out of 100
Islamabad69Astana26
Beach & sea
110
- 1/10
- 1/10
Mountains
110
- 3/10
- 9/10, leads
City parks
110
- 6/10
- 8/10, leads
Weekend escapes
110
- 4/10
- 9/10, leads
City life
Getting around on foot, food, culture and the feel of the streets.
Section score out of 100
Islamabad57Astana55
Walkability
110
- 3/10
- 3/10
Public transport
110
- 4/10, leads
- 3/10
Restaurants
110
- 6/10
- 6/10
Public spaces
110
- 7/10
- 8/10, leads
Safety & health
Crime, how safe people feel, and the care you would get.
Section score out of 100
Astana66Islamabad53
Homicide rate
Per 100,000 residents per year
0.247
- 1.4
- 2.5
Feels safe day to day
110
- 8/10, leads
- 7/10
Healthcare quality
110
- 8/10, leads
- 7/10
English-speaking care
110
- 5/10
- 7/10, leads
Work & family
Jobs, working culture, schools and raising kids.
Section score out of 100
Astana54Islamabad49
Job market
110
- 6/10, leads
- 4/10
Jobs in English
110
- 4/10
- 6/10, leads
Work–life balance
110
- 5/10, leads
- 4/10
Schools
110
- 6/10, leads
- 5/10
Moving & settling in
Visas, language, paperwork and staying connected.
Section score out of 100
Astana53Islamabad45
Visa & residence difficulty
Typical case; your passport changes this
110
- 4/10, leads
- 8/10
Language barrier
For an English speaker
110
- 7/10
- 4/10, leads
Openness to newcomers
110
- 6/10
- 8/10, leads
Flight connections
110
- 6/10
- 6/10
Society & values
Where each city sits. There is no right end of these scales.
Social attitudes
ConservativeLiberal
- 4/10
- 2/10
LGBTQ+ acceptance
LowHigh
- 2/10
- 1/10
Diversity
HomogeneousDiverse
- 7/10
- 6/10
Religion in public life
ReligiousSecular
- 7/10
- 2/10
Life in each city
Daily life
Astana
A planned capital, laid out wide and low rather than dense, with a clear divide between the older town and the monumental new government quarter. Homes tend to be roomy, but daily life leans heavily on the car, walkability is poor, and the streets lack the close-knit, mixed-use texture of an organically grown city.
Islamabad
A purpose-built capital of wide avenues and low-rise sectors, spacious and orderly by South Asian standards but spread out and built around the car. Walkability is poor and there is little of the dense, mixed-use street life found in older Pakistani cities.
Safety
Astana
Reassuringly safe in everyday terms. Violent and petty crime are low, and walking around after dark feels comfortable, on par with Almaty and most of the region.
Islamabad
Day-to-day crime is low, noticeably so against Karachi, and violent incidents are rare for the region. The serious caveat is political stability, which scores at the floor here: Pakistan carries real volatility, and the capital sees periodic protests, security alerts and abrupt disruptions.
Work and healthcare
Astana
Astana's local market is narrow, with limited industry breadth, few English-language roles, and thin professional networks. Healthcare here is functional rather than reassuring.
Islamabad
The local market is thin, with limited industry depth and professional networks. Private hospitals in the capital are among the country's better options and English is widely spoken in clinics, but the overall picture is modest.
Culture and public life
Astana
A young capital still building its scene. Its showpiece boulevards, plazas and monuments are impressive, if a little sterile and overscaled.
Islamabad
Pakistani food is the real draw, with strong local cooking and a serviceable cafe scene, though the restaurant range trails livelier Karachi and the regional heavyweights. The wide boulevards and Faisal Mosque grounds impress, though it's car-centric and short on intimate squares.
Summary
Islamabad is compelling if access to hills and greener surroundings is central to your routine. Astana offers a more monumental urban setting, but only makes sense if you are prepared for its severe winters and comfortable navigating a less familiar language environment.
Read on
Which of these fits you?
These numbers treat everyone the same. The quiz weighs them by your budget, climate taste, family and work, and ranks all 283 cities for you.