Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Nawabshah Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Nawabshah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $535 per month in Islamabad vs $438 in Nawabshah, rent included.

A couple spends around $833 per month in Islamabad vs $635 in Nawabshah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,131 per month in Islamabad vs $831 in Nawabshah, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 22% more than Nawabshah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Islamabad and Nawabshah are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Nawabshah 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PKR 781

$2.08 PKR 579

35.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.13 PKR 3,923

$12.43 PKR 3,450

13.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,510

$4.07 PKR 1,129

33.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 498

$1.91 PKR 531

-5.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PKR 1,094

$5.18 PKR 1,437

-23.94%

Cappuccino

$2.04 PKR 567

$1.82 PKR 506

12.09%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.36 PKR 100

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.21 PKR 58.2

14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 263

$0.70 PKR 194

35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 182

$0.33 PKR 92.7

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 354

$1.17 PKR 325

8.55%

Eggs

$1.26 PKR 350

$0.99 PKR 274

27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 PKR 1,704

$6.34 PKR 1,759

-3.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 PKR 984

$2.19 PKR 607

62.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.52 PKR 1,254

$3.62 PKR 1,005

24.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 291

$1.09 PKR 302

-3.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 PKR 222

$0.46 PKR 128

73.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 252

$0.75 PKR 207

21.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 165

$0.28 PKR 78.5

110.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 PKR 116

$0.28 PKR 78.3

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 149

$0.51 PKR 142

3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.7

$0.36 PKR 99.7

-13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 112

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.95 PKR 541

$1.29 PKR 359

51.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$1.28 PKR 355

-29.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

$2.15 PKR 596

-5.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 PKR 601

$1.66 PKR 461

30.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.97

$0.17 PKR 46.80

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.20 PKR 1,998

$7.11 PKR 1,974

1.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 255

$0.72 PKR 201

27.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.65 PKR 181

-33.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 PKR 772

$1.75 PKR 487

58.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 274

$0.87 PKR 243

13.79%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

26.59%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.0K PKR 7.2M

$24.7K PKR 6.9M

5.25%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$114 PKR 31.6K

$133 PKR 36.9K

-14.21%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$5.43 PKR 1,508

$5.01 PKR 1,390

8.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 PKR 5,216

$13.54 PKR 3,760

38.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.78 PKR 6,325

$12.16 PKR 3,377

87.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 PKR 1,680

$5.89 PKR 1,636

2.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 PKR 1,208

$4.33 PKR 1,202

0.46%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$59.5 PKR 16.5K

$57.0 PKR 15.8K

4.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,754 PKR 764.7K

$1,354 PKR 375.8K

103.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.76 PKR 6,041

$17.68 PKR 4,909

23.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.27 PKR 7,850

$25.48 PKR 7,074

10.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 PKR 24.1K

$63.7 PKR 17.7K

36.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.56 PKR 11.3K

$35.63 PKR 9,891

13.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.7K

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

167.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.0K

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

112.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 PKR 141.0K

$169 PKR 46.8K

200.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.1K

$108 PKR 30.0K

173.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,557 PKR 432.3K

$852 PKR 236.4K

82.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$656 PKR 182.0K

$510 PKR 141.6K

28.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 PKR 105.1K

$128 PKR 35.4K

196.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

17.8

13.48%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Islamabad: July 20, 2026

Last update for Nawabshah: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $201 in Islamabad versus $75.1 in Nawabshah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 196% higher in Islamabad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Islamabad versus $12.00 in Nawabshah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $101 vs $80.0 – making Nawabshah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Islamabad vs Nawabshah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $802 per month in Islamabad and $658 in Nawabshah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nawabshah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Islamabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Islamabad and $12.00 in Nawabshah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $535 in Islamabad and $438 in Nawabshah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Nawabshah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nawabshah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Islamabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.