Cost of Living Comparison Between Nawabshah and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Nawabshah and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $438 per month in Nawabshah vs $535 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $635 per month in Nawabshah vs $833 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $831 per month in Nawabshah vs $1,131 in Islamabad, rent included.

Nawabshah is about 18% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nawabshah and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Nawabshah 67% lower, Islamabad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 PKR 579

$2.81 PKR 781

-25.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.43 PKR 3,450

$14.13 PKR 3,923

-12.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 PKR 1,129

$5.44 PKR 1,510

-25.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 PKR 531

$1.80 PKR 498

6.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 PKR 1,437

$3.94 PKR 1,094

31.47%

Cappuccino

$1.82 PKR 506

$2.04 PKR 567

-10.78%

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

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.39 PKR 108

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.2

$0.24 PKR 66.7

-12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 PKR 194

$0.95 PKR 263

-26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$0.66 PKR 182

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 PKR 325

$1.27 PKR 354

-7.87%

Eggs

$0.99 PKR 274

$1.26 PKR 350

-21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.34 PKR 1,759

$6.14 PKR 1,704

3.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.19 PKR 607

$3.55 PKR 984

-38.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.62 PKR 1,005

$4.52 PKR 1,254

-19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 PKR 302

$1.05 PKR 291

3.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 128

$0.80 PKR 222

-42.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 PKR 207

$0.91 PKR 252

-17.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 78.5

$0.59 PKR 165

-52.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 78.3

$0.42 PKR 116

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.53 PKR 149

-3.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 99.7

$0.31 PKR 85.7

16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 112

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 PKR 359

$1.95 PKR 541

-33.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 PKR 355

$0.90 PKR 251

42.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 PKR 596

$2.03 PKR 565

5.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.66 PKR 461

$2.16 PKR 601

-23.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.80

$0.18 PKR 49.97

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.11 PKR 1,974

$7.20 PKR 1,998

-1.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 PKR 201

$0.92 PKR 255

-21.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 PKR 181

$0.43 PKR 120

51.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 487

$2.78 PKR 772

-37.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 PKR 243

$0.99 PKR 274

-12.12%

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

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

-21.00%

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

$24.7K PKR 6.9M

$26.0K PKR 7.2M

-4.99%

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

$133 PKR 36.9K

$114 PKR 31.6K

16.56%

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

$5.01 PKR 1,390

$5.43 PKR 1,508

-7.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.54 PKR 3,760

$18.79 PKR 5,216

-27.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.16 PKR 3,377

$22.78 PKR 6,325

-46.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.89 PKR 1,636

$6.05 PKR 1,680

-2.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 PKR 1,202

$4.35 PKR 1,208

-0.46%

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

$57.0 PKR 15.8K

$59.5 PKR 16.5K

-4.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,354 PKR 375.8K

$2,754 PKR 764.7K

-50.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.68 PKR 4,909

$21.76 PKR 6,041

-18.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.48 PKR 7,074

$28.27 PKR 7,850

-9.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 PKR 17.7K

$86.7 PKR 24.1K

-26.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.63 PKR 9,891

$40.56 PKR 11.3K

-12.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

$201 PKR 55.7K

-62.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

$112 PKR 31.0K

-52.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$169 PKR 46.8K

$508 PKR 141.0K

-66.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.0K

$296 PKR 82.1K

-63.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$852 PKR 236.4K

$1,557 PKR 432.3K

-45.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$510 PKR 141.6K

$656 PKR 182.0K

-22.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$128 PKR 35.4K

$378 PKR 105.1K

-66.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

20.2

-11.88%

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

Last update for Nawabshah: July 19, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $75.1 in Nawabshah versus $201 in Islamabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 196% higher in Islamabad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Nawabshah versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $80.0 vs $101 – making Nawabshah 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

Nawabshah vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $658 per month in Nawabshah and $802 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $12.00 in Nawabshah and $14.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $438 in Nawabshah and $535 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Nawabshah – 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 Nawabshah. 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.