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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Islamabad vs $360 in Nowshera, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Islamabad vs $591 in Nowshera, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,141 per month in Islamabad vs $823 in Nowshera, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 47% more than Nowshera, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Islamabad and Nowshera are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 61% lower, Nowshera 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$2.77 PKR 771

1.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,955

$14.03 PKR 3,903

1.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$5.25 PKR 1,460

3.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$1.80 PKR 500

-4.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$3.92 PKR 1,091

2.04%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.39 PKR 109

10.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.22 PKR 60.8

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.74 PKR 206

27.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.65 PKR 182

-4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.28 PKR 356

-5.47%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.11 PKR 310

8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,689

$6.16 PKR 1,713

-1.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.82 PKR 783

20.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

$3.96 PKR 1,102

10.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$0.58 PKR 162

77.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.44 PKR 121

77.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.86 PKR 240

8.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.56 PKR 157

7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.39 PKR 107

5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.37 PKR 102

45.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.33 PKR 93.0

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.33 PKR 92.7

12.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

$1.37 PKR 382

40.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.93 PKR 258

-3.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

$1.44 PKR 400

38.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$2.10 PKR 585

1.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.16 PKR 44.74

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,921

$6.96 PKR 1,936

-0.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 238

$0.91 PKR 253

-5.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.40 PKR 112

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$2.89 PKR 803

-2.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.97 PKR 271

-6.19%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-0.10%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$25.8K PKR 7.2M

1.48%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$28.68 PKR 7,980

289.61%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$2.11 PKR 586

157.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,234

$11.89 PKR 3,307

58.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,174

$12.50 PKR 3,476

77.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,679

$6.10 PKR 1,698

-0.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$59.8 PKR 16.6K

0.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

$1,089 PKR 303.0K

157.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 5,999

$21.77 PKR 6,056

-0.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,686

$28.50 PKR 7,928

-3.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

-1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$40.01 PKR 11.1K

-0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

162.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$51.2 PKR 14.3K

118.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.6K

$167 PKR 46.6K

206.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$105 PKR 29.3K

181.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

$1,017 PKR 283.0K

52.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

$504 PKR 140.2K

30.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Nowshera: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Islamabad versus $75.5 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 – $98.0 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 47%, 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 $794 per month in Islamabad and $540 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 13% 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 $529 in Islamabad and $360 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.