Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Nowshera Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Nowshera

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $353 in Nowshera, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $579 in Nowshera, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $805 in Nowshera, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 51% more than Nowshera, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Islamabad and Nowshera are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Nowshera 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$2.89 PKR 804

-1.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$14.31 PKR 3,974

-0.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$5.35 PKR 1,486

1.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$1.79 PKR 498

-3.91%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$3.92 PKR 1,090

-2.55%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$2.05 PKR 569

-3.90%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.43 PKR 118

-6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.24 PKR 66.7

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.79 PKR 220

21.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.62 PKR 172

6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.21 PKR 337

5.79%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.13 PKR 313

6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$6.34 PKR 1,760

-4.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$2.76 PKR 768

22.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$3.91 PKR 1,086

11.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$0.59 PKR 164

76.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.40 PKR 112

110.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.89 PKR 246

2.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.60 PKR 167

-6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.41 PKR 114

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.33 PKR 92.5

72.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.31 PKR 84.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.37 PKR 102

10.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$1.48 PKR 412

35.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.85 PKR 235

9.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$1.37 PKR 381

48.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$2.16 PKR 600

-0.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.17 PKR 47.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$7.23 PKR 2,008

-0.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.92 PKR 254

-7.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.43 PKR 121

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$2.77 PKR 768

0.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

-0.14%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$25.8K PKR 7.2M

0.68%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$28.81 PKR 7,999

294.65%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$2.11 PKR 585

156.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$11.46 PKR 3,183

63.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$12.55 PKR 3,486

76.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$5.92 PKR 1,642

3.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$4.21 PKR 1,168

-1.66%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$59.1 PKR 16.4K

1.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$1,108 PKR 307.8K

148.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$21.24 PKR 5,898

-0.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$28.23 PKR 7,839

-2.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$87.6 PKR 24.3K

0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$40.80 PKR 11.3K

0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

162.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$51.1 PKR 14.2K

115.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$166 PKR 46.0K

204.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$104 PKR 28.9K

187.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$871 PKR 241.8K

73.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$531 PKR 147.6K

21.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

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

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nowshera: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $75.9 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 $14.00 in Islamabad versus $14.00 in Nowshera. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Islamabad vs $87.0 in Nowshera – so Nowshera wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 51%, 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 $801 per month in Islamabad and $529 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 14% 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 $14.00 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 $534 in Islamabad and $353 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.