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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Islamabad vs $346 in Wah, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Islamabad vs $540 in Wah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Islamabad vs $735 in Wah, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 54% more than Wah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 PKR 791

$1.73 PKR 481

64.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.26 PKR 3,960

$10.78 PKR 2,994

32.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,511

$3.48 PKR 965

56.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

$2.78 PKR 772

-38.13%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

$4.72 PKR 1,310

-19.07%

Cappuccino

$1.97 PKR 547

$1.27 PKR 352

55.12%

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

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.33 PKR 92.9

21.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.24 PKR 67.1

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.75 PKR 208

28.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.60 PKR 165

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.26 PKR 349

1.59%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.14 PKR 317

5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$6.16 PKR 1,711

-1.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 PKR 937

$2.66 PKR 740

26.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$3.21 PKR 891

35.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.02 PKR 284

1.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.59 PKR 163

42.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.63 PKR 174

44.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.56 PKR 155

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.38 PKR 104

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.51 PKR 140

11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.59 PKR 163

-47.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.39 PKR 109

5.13%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

$0.98 PKR 271

104.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.72 PKR 200

29.17%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

$2.04 PKR 566

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$1.82 PKR 507

17.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.51

$0.18 PKR 50.8

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,005

$7.18 PKR 1,994

0.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 236

$1.08 PKR 300

-21.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.44 PKR 122

-2.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PKR 775

$1.75 PKR 485

59.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$0.98 PKR 272

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$22.3K PKR 6.2M

-6.09%

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

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

20.44%

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

$114 PKR 31.6K

$57.4 PKR 15.9K

97.98%

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

$5.41 PKR 1,501

$3.83 PKR 1,063

41.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 PKR 5,190

$12.99 PKR 3,607

43.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.13 PKR 6,144

$12.44 PKR 3,456

77.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 PKR 1,698

$5.85 PKR 1,624

4.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,150

$3.58 PKR 994

15.64%

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

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

$27.98 PKR 7,769

115.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

$1,141 PKR 316.8K

141.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 PKR 5,854

$16.17 PKR 4,491

30.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 PKR 7,674

$21.93 PKR 6,090

26.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$61.3 PKR 17.0K

43.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

$25.77 PKR 7,154

58.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 PKR 55.3K

$75.3 PKR 20.9K

164.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.5K

$52.4 PKR 14.6K

109.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 PKR 140.1K

$168 PKR 46.7K

200.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 PKR 83.0K

$106 PKR 29.4K

182.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

$974 PKR 270.5K

55.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 PKR 179.8K

$417 PKR 115.8K

55.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 PKR 106.9K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Wah: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Islamabad versus $75.3 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 $11.00 in Wah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $88.0 – 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 54%, 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 $519 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 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 $11.00 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 $534 in Islamabad and $346 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.