Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Peshawar Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Peshawar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $372 in Peshawar, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $554 in Peshawar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $736 in Peshawar, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 44% more than Peshawar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Peshawar are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 60% lower, Peshawar 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$2.34 PKR 651

21.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$10.75 PKR 2,985

32.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$3.60 PKR 1,000

51.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$1.43 PKR 398

20.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$2.61 PKR 725

46.36%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$1.82 PKR 506

8.24%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.28 PKR 76.8

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.18 PKR 49.00

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.81 PKR 225

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.57 PKR 158

15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.12 PKR 312

14.29%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.19 PKR 330

0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$3.38 PKR 939

79.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$3.14 PKR 872

7.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$3.78 PKR 1,051

15.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.04 PKR 288

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.61 PKR 169

37.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.92 PKR 255

-1.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.43 PKR 119

30.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.40 PKR 110

2.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.45 PKR 125

26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.24 PKR 66.7

29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.32 PKR 88.8

28.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$0.68 PKR 190

194.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.63 PKR 452

-42.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$3.60 PKR 999

-43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$1.88 PKR 522

13.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.20 PKR 55.1

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$6.91 PKR 1,918

4.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.69 PKR 190

23.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.73 PKR 204

-41.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$1.81 PKR 504

54.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$1.00 PKR 278

-2.00%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$11.9K PKR 3.3M

74.96%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$22.6K PKR 6.3M

14.98%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$98.5 PKR 27.3K

15.49%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$4.32 PKR 1,201

25.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$10.62 PKR 2,949

75.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$9.96 PKR 2,766

122.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$6.66 PKR 1,850

-8.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$4.19 PKR 1,164

-1.19%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$29.39 PKR 8,162

104.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$518 PKR 143.7K

431.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$13.06 PKR 3,628

61.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$19.62 PKR 5,447

40.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$38.69 PKR 10.7K

126.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$32.49 PKR 9,022

26.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$120 PKR 33.2K

66.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

113.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$202 PKR 56.1K

149.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$95.0 PKR 26.4K

214.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

$128 PKR 35.5K

201.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

21.17

-4.58%

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

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Peshawar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $120 in Peshawar. 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 202% 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 $11.00 in Peshawar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $82.0 – making Peshawar 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 Peshawar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $557 in Peshawar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $11.00 in Peshawar. 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 $534 in Islamabad and $372 in Peshawar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Peshawar – 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 Peshawar. 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.