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: $484 in Lahore versus $353 in Nowshera.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $727 in Lahore versus $579 in Nowshera.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $970 in Lahore versus $805 in Nowshera.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 64% lower, Nowshera 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 580

$2.89 PKR 804

-27.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.06 PKR 3,903

$14.31 PKR 3,974

-1.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.35 PKR 1,207

$5.35 PKR 1,486

-18.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PKR 765

$1.79 PKR 498

53.63%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 PKR 1,018

$3.92 PKR 1,090

-6.63%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$2.05 PKR 569

16.59%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.7

$0.43 PKR 118

-16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.3

$0.24 PKR 66.7

-12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.79 PKR 220

18.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.62 PKR 172

-8.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 337

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.13 PKR 313

7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.18 PKR 1,717

$6.34 PKR 1,760

-2.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 PKR 839

$2.76 PKR 768

9.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.55 PKR 1,263

$3.91 PKR 1,086

16.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 293

$0.59 PKR 164

79.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.40 PKR 112

57.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 169

$0.89 PKR 246

-31.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.60 PKR 167

-21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.41 PKR 114

-12.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 132

$0.33 PKR 92.5

45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.31 PKR 84.8

51.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 98.3

$0.37 PKR 102

-5.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.48 PKR 412

-25.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 PKR 143

$0.85 PKR 235

-40.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 306

$1.37 PKR 381

-19.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 546

$2.16 PKR 600

-8.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 51.2

$0.17 PKR 47.59

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.92 PKR 1,922

$7.23 PKR 2,008

-4.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 202

$0.92 PKR 254

-20.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.43 PKR 121

13.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 PKR 501

$2.77 PKR 768

-35.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$0.98 PKR 271

-2.04%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

-16.46%

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

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

$25.8K PKR 7.2M

-9.04%

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

$141 PKR 39.2K

$28.81 PKR 7,999

390.04%

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

$5.31 PKR 1,473

$2.11 PKR 585

151.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 PKR 4,811

$11.46 PKR 3,183

51.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.73 PKR 3,813

$12.55 PKR 3,486

9.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 PKR 1,649

$5.92 PKR 1,642

0.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,191

$4.21 PKR 1,168

1.90%

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

$34.60 PKR 9,608

$59.1 PKR 16.4K

-41.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,253 PKR 347.9K

$1,108 PKR 307.8K

13.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.40 PKR 4,276

$21.24 PKR 5,898

-27.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.27 PKR 6,462

$28.23 PKR 7,839

-17.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

$87.6 PKR 24.3K

-18.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.56 PKR 8,486

$40.80 PKR 11.3K

-25.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 PKR 33.3K

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

58.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

$51.1 PKR 14.2K

48.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 PKR 80.9K

$166 PKR 46.0K

75.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.2K

$104 PKR 28.9K

80.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$844 PKR 234.5K

$871 PKR 241.8K

-3.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 PKR 163.7K

$531 PKR 147.6K

10.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nowshera: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $120 in Lahore and $75.9 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 $94.0 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 ($484 vs $353 including rent). Nowshera is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $726 in Lahore and $529 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: $120 in Lahore versus $75.9 in Nowshera. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% 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.