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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Islamabad vs $423 in Wah, rent included.

A couple spends around $918 per month in Islamabad vs $635 in Wah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,246 per month in Islamabad vs $848 in Wah, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 39% more than Wah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Wah are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 57% lower, Wah 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 989

$1.85 PKR 512

92.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 PKR 6,305

$10.91 PKR 3,024

108.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PKR 1,516

$5.31 PKR 1,473

3.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 985

$2.46 PKR 681

44.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,861

$2.14 PKR 592

213.55%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.28 PKR 356

86.72%

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

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.30 PKR 84.6

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.26 PKR 72.3

-15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 275

$0.78 PKR 217

26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.60 PKR 166

31.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 354

$1.23 PKR 341

4.07%

Eggs

$1.28 PKR 356

$1.19 PKR 331

7.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,694

$8.54 PKR 2,367

-28.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 PKR 848

$2.57 PKR 712

19.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 PKR 1,420

$3.96 PKR 1,097

29.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.08 PKR 299

24.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.66 PKR 183

27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$0.54 PKR 149

88.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.51 PKR 140

-3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$0.31 PKR 86.2

-6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$0.53 PKR 146

-37.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 PKR 80.8

$0.51 PKR 141

-43.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.43 PKR 118

-11.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

$0.53 PKR 146

258.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

$0.53 PKR 146

160.38%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 651

$0.70 PKR 193

235.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 PKR 632

$2.35 PKR 651

-2.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.29

$0.20 PKR 56.4

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PKR 5,885

$11.14 PKR 3,088

90.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 PKR 353

$1.06 PKR 293

19.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 191

$1.10 PKR 305

-37.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 458

$2.87 PKR 796

-42.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 365

$1.11 PKR 309

18.92%

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

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

133.67%

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

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

9.38%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$67.2 PKR 18.6K

51.93%

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

$5.83 PKR 1,617

$5.54 PKR 1,536

5.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.34 PKR 4,531

$14.31 PKR 3,968

14.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.09 PKR 8,066

$13.69 PKR 3,795

112.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,477

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 PKR 1,389

$7.14 PKR 1,980

-29.83%

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

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

$26.72 PKR 7,408

180.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$2,048 PKR 567.9K

148.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.55 PKR 6,528

$18.69 PKR 5,182

26.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 PKR 9,060

$26.49 PKR 7,345

23.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

$54.2 PKR 15.0K

54.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

$29.16 PKR 8,084

34.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.8K

$118 PKR 32.8K

133.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 PKR 40.0K

$75.2 PKR 20.8K

91.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 160.0K

$266 PKR 73.7K

117.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 PKR 73.8K

$140 PKR 38.8K

90.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 PKR 453.2K

$911 PKR 252.6K

79.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 PKR 230.0K

$554 PKR 153.6K

49.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

11.83

10.57%

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

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Wah: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Islamabad versus $118 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $11.00 in Wah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $97.0 – 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 39%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $884 per month in Islamabad and $635 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 6% 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 $23.00 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 $589 in Islamabad and $423 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.