Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Nowshera Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Nowshera

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $492 in Lahore versus $360 in Nowshera.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $746 in Lahore versus $591 in Nowshera.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,001 in Lahore versus $823 in Nowshera.

Living in Lahore is roughly 37% more expensive than Nowshera, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 63% lower, Nowshera 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 582

$2.77 PKR 771

-24.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.24 PKR 3,961

$14.03 PKR 3,903

1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 PKR 1,189

$5.25 PKR 1,460

-18.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 PKR 774

$1.80 PKR 500

54.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 PKR 1,007

$3.92 PKR 1,091

-7.65%

Cappuccino

$2.34 PKR 651

$2.00 PKR 557

17.00%

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

$0.36 PKR 99.3

$0.39 PKR 109

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.22 PKR 60.8

4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 247

$0.74 PKR 206

20.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.65 PKR 182

-12.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 PKR 324

$1.28 PKR 356

-8.59%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.11 PKR 310

8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,700

$6.16 PKR 1,713

-0.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 PKR 849

$2.82 PKR 783

8.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.44 PKR 1,234

$3.96 PKR 1,102

12.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$0.58 PKR 162

75.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.44 PKR 121

36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 168

$0.86 PKR 240

-30.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.56 PKR 157

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 90.2

$0.39 PKR 107

-17.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.37 PKR 102

29.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PKR 123

$0.33 PKR 93.0

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.33 PKR 92.7

15.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.37 PKR 382

-32.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.93 PKR 258

-40.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 309

$1.44 PKR 400

-22.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 PKR 555

$2.10 PKR 585

-5.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.7

$0.16 PKR 44.74

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.98 PKR 1,941

$6.96 PKR 1,936

0.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 194

$0.91 PKR 253

-23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 138

$0.40 PKR 112

22.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 496

$2.89 PKR 803

-38.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.97 PKR 271

-6.19%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-19.37%

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

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

$25.8K PKR 7.2M

-7.73%

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

$138 PKR 38.3K

$28.68 PKR 7,980

380.09%

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

$5.59 PKR 1,554

$2.11 PKR 586

164.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.01 PKR 4,733

$11.89 PKR 3,307

43.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.75 PKR 3,824

$12.50 PKR 3,476

10.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 PKR 1,595

$6.10 PKR 1,698

-6.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,206

$4.21 PKR 1,171

3.09%

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

$35.47 PKR 9,869

$59.8 PKR 16.6K

-40.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,238 PKR 344.3K

$1,089 PKR 303.0K

13.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.98 PKR 4,168

$21.77 PKR 6,056

-31.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.69 PKR 6,311

$28.50 PKR 7,928

-20.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 PKR 20.2K

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

-18.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.85 PKR 8,304

$40.01 PKR 11.1K

-25.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.9K

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

56.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.7 PKR 21.3K

$51.2 PKR 14.3K

49.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 PKR 79.6K

$167 PKR 46.6K

70.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.2K

$105 PKR 29.3K

78.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$843 PKR 234.4K

$1,017 PKR 283.0K

-17.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$615 PKR 171.2K

$504 PKR 140.2K

22.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 PKR 51.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

20.2

-1.58%

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

Last update for Lahore: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nowshera: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Lahore and $75.5 in Nowshera. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Lahore vs $14.00 in Nowshera. Groceries flip the comparison at $93.0 vs $87.0, with Nowshera cheaper for home cooking.

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

Lahore vs Nowshera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lahore and Nowshera differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($492 vs $360 including rent). Nowshera is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $738 in Lahore and $540 in Nowshera to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $118 in Lahore versus $75.5 in Nowshera. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Lahore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nowshera – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $14.00 in Lahore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Nowshera gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Nowshera gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.