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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $430 per month in Nawabshah vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $631 per month in Nawabshah vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $832 per month in Nawabshah vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Nawabshah is about 19% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nawabshah and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Nawabshah 68% lower, Islamabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 PKR 594

$2.80 PKR 779

-23.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.49 PKR 3,476

$14.22 PKR 3,956

-12.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 PKR 1,111

$5.44 PKR 1,513

-26.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 PKR 556

$1.72 PKR 478

16.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 PKR 1,447

$4.00 PKR 1,112

30.00%

Cappuccino

$1.84 PKR 512

$2.00 PKR 558

-8.00%

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

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.43 PKR 119

-16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.4

$0.22 PKR 61.1

-4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 PKR 202

$0.94 PKR 260

-22.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 PKR 85.1

$0.62 PKR 173

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 PKR 324

$1.21 PKR 338

-3.31%

Eggs

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.20 PKR 335

-15.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 PKR 1,814

$6.07 PKR 1,690

7.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.19 PKR 608

$3.39 PKR 942

-35.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.69 PKR 1,026

$4.38 PKR 1,219

-15.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 301

$1.03 PKR 287

4.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.78 PKR 216

-44.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$0.93 PKR 260

-25.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 78.8

$0.60 PKR 166

-53.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 78.5

$0.41 PKR 115

-31.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 143

$0.54 PKR 149

-5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.34 PKR 93.3

11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 112

$0.37 PKR 103

8.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 PKR 343

$1.93 PKR 538

-36.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 366

$0.90 PKR 251

46.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 PKR 594

$1.99 PKR 553

7.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.66 PKR 461

$2.14 PKR 596

-22.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 50.7

$0.19 PKR 52.2

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.28 PKR 2,025

$6.90 PKR 1,921

5.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 206

$0.86 PKR 239

-13.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 PKR 187

$0.44 PKR 122

52.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 PKR 506

$2.81 PKR 782

-35.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 PKR 259

$0.91 PKR 254

2.20%

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

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-23.91%

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

$25.0K PKR 7.0M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-4.30%

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

$132 PKR 36.8K

$112 PKR 31.1K

18.44%

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

$4.89 PKR 1,360

$5.44 PKR 1,513

-10.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.65 PKR 3,797

$18.81 PKR 5,235

-27.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.35 PKR 3,438

$22.19 PKR 6,176

-44.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 PKR 1,609

$6.04 PKR 1,680

-4.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 PKR 1,158

$4.21 PKR 1,172

-1.19%

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

$57.0 PKR 15.9K

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

-5.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,377 PKR 383.1K

$2,805 PKR 780.4K

-50.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.82 PKR 4,958

$21.57 PKR 6,001

-17.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.09 PKR 6,982

$27.63 PKR 7,688

-9.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 PKR 18.3K

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

-25.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.56 PKR 9,895

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

-10.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

$198 PKR 55.1K

-62.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.1 PKR 14.5K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-53.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.7K

$513 PKR 142.7K

-67.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 PKR 29.6K

$296 PKR 82.4K

-64.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,008 PKR 280.4K

$1,551 PKR 431.6K

-35.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$530 PKR 147.3K

$657 PKR 183.0K

-19.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$128 PKR 35.6K

$387 PKR 107.8K

-66.96%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $73.9 in Nawabshah versus $198 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 203% 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: $81.0 vs $98.0 – 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 23%, 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 $644 per month in Nawabshah and $794 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 21% 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 $430 in Nawabshah and $529 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.