A projector type lighting unit that is applicable to a vehicle headlamp, the projector type lighting unit comprising: a projection lens having an optical axis and a rear-side focal point (F, P1) positioned on the optical axis, and an incident surface and an exiting surface; and a light source disposed on or near the focal point (F, P1) of the projection lens, an image of the light source being projected through the projection lens; characterized in that an exiting surface of the projection lens includes a standard lens surface with a given radius of curvature disposed on an upper side of the projection lens with respect to a border as a horizontal plane including the optical axis of the projection lens and a gradually varied lens surface disposed on a lower side of the projection lens, and the gradually varied lens surface is configured such that curves appear while assuming that a plurality of virtual planes including the optical axis of the projection lens and inclined by different inclined angles with respect to a virtual vertical plane cross the gradually varied lens surface so that the curves appear as curved lines formed by the plurality of virtual planes crossing the gradually varied lens surface, and the curves have respective radii of curvatures, and the plurality of radii of curvatures are equal to or lower than the radius of curvature of the standard lens surface at the virtual vertical plane and are lower than the radius of curvature of the standard lens surface at planes other than the virtual vertical plane, and gradually and continuously increase from the vertical plane to the horizontal plane so as to diffuse part of the image of the light source in an upward direction when the projector type lighting unit is installed in a vehicle light. a projection lens having an optical axis and a rear-side focal point (F, P1) positioned on the optical axis, and an incident surface and an exiting surface; and a light source disposed on or near the focal point (F, P1) of the projection lens, an image of the light source being projected through the projection lens; characterized in that an exiting surface of the projection lens includes a standard lens surface with a given radius of curvature disposed on an upper side of the projection lens with respect to a border as a horizontal plane including the optical axis of the projection lens and a gradually varied lens surface disposed on a lower side of the projection lens, and the gradually varied lens surface is configured such that curves appear while assuming that a plurality of virtual planes including the optical axis of the projection lens and inclined by different inclined angles with respect to a virtual vertical plane cross the gradually varied lens surface so that the curves appear as curved lines formed by the plurality of virtual planes crossing the gradually varied lens surface, and the curves have respective radii of curvatures, and the plurality of radii of curvatures are equal to or lower than the radius of curvature of the standard lens surface at the virtual vertical plane and are lower than the radius of curvature of the standard lens surface at planes other than the virtual vertical plane, and gradually and continuously increase from the vertical plane to the horizontal plane so as to diffuse part of the image of the light source in an upward direction when the projector type lighting unit is installed in a vehicle light.