Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Wah Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Wah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Islamabad vs $347 in Wah, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Islamabad vs $528 in Wah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,141 per month in Islamabad vs $709 in Wah, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 53% more than Wah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Wah are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 61% lower, Wah 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$1.81 PKR 503

54.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,955

$10.44 PKR 2,906

36.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$3.51 PKR 976

54.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$2.85 PKR 794

-39.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$4.78 PKR 1,330

-16.32%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$1.28 PKR 355

56.25%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.34 PKR 93.3

26.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.24 PKR 67.2

-8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.75 PKR 209

25.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.60 PKR 166

3.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.26 PKR 351

-3.97%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.14 PKR 318

5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,689

$6.11 PKR 1,700

-0.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.55 PKR 710

32.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

$3.16 PKR 879

38.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.60 PKR 166

30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.62 PKR 173

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.52 PKR 144

15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.37 PKR 103

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.55 PKR 153

-1.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.62 PKR 173

-45.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.43 PKR 119

-13.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

$0.95 PKR 263

103.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.73 PKR 203

23.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$1.87 PKR 521

14.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.16 PKR 44.82

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,921

$7.11 PKR 1,978

-2.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 238

$1.05 PKR 291

-18.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.40 PKR 111

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$1.81 PKR 504

55.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.94 PKR 261

-3.19%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$22.3K PKR 6.2M

-3.35%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$21.4K PKR 6.0M

21.94%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$57.8 PKR 16.1K

93.46%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$3.78 PKR 1,052

43.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,234

$13.03 PKR 3,624

44.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,174

$12.61 PKR 3,508

75.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,679

$5.90 PKR 1,643

2.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

$3.60 PKR 1,001

16.94%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$28.34 PKR 7,883

112.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

$1,133 PKR 315.3K

147.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 5,999

$16.04 PKR 4,461

34.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,686

$21.88 PKR 6,087

26.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$60.1 PKR 16.7K

46.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$25.53 PKR 7,101

56.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$75.2 PKR 20.9K

163.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$52.7 PKR 14.7K

111.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.6K

$166 PKR 46.1K

209.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$105 PKR 29.2K

181.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

$1,113 PKR 309.5K

39.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

$583 PKR 162.2K

12.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

12.22%

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

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Last update for Wah: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Islamabad versus $75.2 in Wah. 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 $10.00 in Wah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $98.0 vs $87.0 – making Wah 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 Wah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 53%, 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 $794 per month in Islamabad and $520 in Wah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $10.00 in Wah. 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 $347 in Wah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Wah – 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 Wah. 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.