Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Nowshera

For one person, living is cheaper in Nowshera: $509 a month against $602 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
Learn more

Islamabad Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Nowshera
Learn more

Nowshera Living Index

Jump to prices

Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$602

/mo nomad

Nowshera

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$509

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Nowshera

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Islamabad and in Nowshera actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $602 per month in Islamabad vs $509 in Nowshera, rent included.

Islamabad $602
Nowshera $509

A couple spends around $937 per month in Islamabad vs $798 in Nowshera, rent included.

Islamabad $937
Nowshera $798

A family of three spends $1,272 per month in Islamabad vs $1,087 in Nowshera, rent included.

Islamabad $1,272
Nowshera $1,087

Islamabad costs about 18% more than Nowshera, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Islamabad and Nowshera are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 56% lower, Nowshera 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 PKR 975

$3.53 PKR 976

-0.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.86 PKR 6,326

$23.17 PKR 6,413

-1.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 PKR 1,458

$5.47 PKR 1,515

-3.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 PKR 1,030

$3.56 PKR 986

4.49%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.70 PKR 1,855

$6.88 PKR 1,904

-2.62%

Cappuccino

$2.63 PKR 727

$2.60 PKR 720

1.15%

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

$0.33 PKR 90.5

$0.33 PKR 90.0

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.1

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 262

$1.01 PKR 278

-5.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.78 PKR 215

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 358

$1.25 PKR 346

3.20%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 335

$1.20 PKR 333

0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 PKR 1,748

$6.07 PKR 1,680

4.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 PKR 869

$3.04 PKR 843

3.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.51 PKR 1,525

$5.42 PKR 1,499

1.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 351

$1.28 PKR 354

-0.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 PKR 227

$0.87 PKR 241

-5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 295

$1.07 PKR 297

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.56 PKR 154

-1.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 74.4

$0.29 PKR 80.5

-6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.36 PKR 99.1

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 PKR 83.7

$0.30 PKR 83.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.99 PKR 550

$1.82 PKR 503

9.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 PKR 328

$1.20 PKR 331

-0.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 PKR 718

$2.44 PKR 676

6.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 PKR 639

$2.36 PKR 654

-2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 54.2

$0.16 PKR 44.97

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.41 PKR 5,925

$9.83 PKR 2,721

117.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 PKR 346

$1.25 PKR 345

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 194

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 PKR 440

$1.58 PKR 437

0.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PKR 377

$1.32 PKR 365

3.03%

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

$54.4K PKR 15.1M

$22.0K PKR 6.1M

147.06%

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

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

$24.0K PKR 6.6M

-1.98%

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

$100 PKR 27.8K

$101 PKR 27.9K

-0.27%

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

$6.12 PKR 1,694

$5.90 PKR 1,632

3.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 PKR 4,795

$17.15 PKR 4,747

1.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.40 PKR 7,861

$14.69 PKR 4,066

93.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.87 PKR 2,456

$7.99 PKR 2,210

11.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 PKR 1,335

$4.46 PKR 1,234

8.07%

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

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

$74.5 PKR 20.6K

-1.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,109 PKR 1.4M

$1,043 PKR 288.6K

390.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.32 PKR 7,284

$26.20 PKR 7,252

0.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.60 PKR 9,854

$35.27 PKR 9,761

0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 PKR 27.2K

$96.2 PKR 26.6K

1.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.95 PKR 11.3K

$40.04 PKR 11.1K

2.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 PKR 74.4K

$125 PKR 34.5K

115.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 PKR 38.9K

$75.9 PKR 21.0K

85.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 159.8K

$257 PKR 71.1K

124.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 PKR 77.2K

$150 PKR 41.6K

85.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,679 PKR 464.8K

$948 PKR 262.4K

77.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$847 PKR 234.4K

$486 PKR 134.6K

74.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$388 PKR 107.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

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

Last update for Islamabad: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nowshera: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$141 23.4%

Nowshera

$76 14.9% 46% $65

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$124 20.6%

Nowshera

$124 24.3% 0.1% $0.1

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$104 17.3%

Nowshera

$104 20.4% 0.7% $0.7

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$90 15%

Nowshera

$89 17.5% 1.6% $1.5

Eating Out

Islamabad

$78 12.9%

Nowshera

$78 15.3% 0.4% $0.3

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$38 6.3%

Nowshera

$24 4.6% 38% $14

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Nowshera

$15 3% 43.5% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $269 in Islamabad versus $125 in Nowshera. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Islamabad versus $23.00 in Nowshera. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $104 vs $104 – making Islamabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇵🇰 Nowshera

🕒 Local time

19:18 7:18 PM

Same time as Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

120,131

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Islamabad Nowshera 110 km

From you

Islamabad
Nowshera

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nowshera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 18%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $903 per month in Islamabad and $764 in Nowshera. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $23.00 in Islamabad and $23.00 in Nowshera. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $602 in Islamabad and $509 in Nowshera, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Nowshera – 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 Nowshera. 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.