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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Nowshera costs roughly 27% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.77 PKR 771

$2.09 PKR 582

32.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.03 PKR 3,903

$14.24 PKR 3,961

-1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 PKR 1,460

$4.27 PKR 1,189

22.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

$2.78 PKR 774

-35.25%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 PKR 1,091

$3.62 PKR 1,007

8.29%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$2.34 PKR 651

-14.53%

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

$0.39 PKR 109

$0.36 PKR 99.3

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.23 PKR 64.0

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 PKR 206

$0.89 PKR 247

-16.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 PKR 182

$0.57 PKR 157

14.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 356

$1.17 PKR 324

9.40%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 310

$1.20 PKR 335

-7.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 PKR 1,713

$6.11 PKR 1,700

0.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.82 PKR 783

$3.05 PKR 849

-7.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.96 PKR 1,102

$4.44 PKR 1,234

-10.81%

Apples (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 162

$1.02 PKR 283

-43.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.60 PKR 166

-26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 240

$0.60 PKR 168

43.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 157

$0.48 PKR 133

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.32 PKR 90.2

21.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.48 PKR 133

-22.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 93.0

$0.44 PKR 123

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$0.38 PKR 106

-13.16%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.37 PKR 382

$0.93 PKR 258

47.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.55 PKR 152

69.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 PKR 400

$1.11 PKR 309

29.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 PKR 585

$1.99 PKR 555

5.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.74

$0.19 PKR 52.7

-15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.96 PKR 1,936

$6.98 PKR 1,941

-0.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.70 PKR 194

30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 112

$0.49 PKR 138

-18.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 PKR 803

$1.78 PKR 496

62.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 271

$0.91 PKR 253

6.59%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

24.02%

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

$25.8K PKR 7.2M

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

8.38%

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

$28.68 PKR 7,980

$138 PKR 38.3K

-79.17%

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

$2.11 PKR 586

$5.59 PKR 1,554

-62.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.89 PKR 3,307

$17.01 PKR 4,733

-30.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.50 PKR 3,476

$13.75 PKR 3,824

-9.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.10 PKR 1,698

$5.73 PKR 1,595

6.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

$4.34 PKR 1,206

-3.00%

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

$59.8 PKR 16.6K

$35.47 PKR 9,869

68.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,089 PKR 303.0K

$1,238 PKR 344.3K

-11.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.77 PKR 6,056

$14.98 PKR 4,168

45.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.50 PKR 7,928

$22.69 PKR 6,311

25.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

$72.6 PKR 20.2K

23.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.01 PKR 11.1K

$29.85 PKR 8,304

34.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

$118 PKR 32.9K

-36.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.2 PKR 14.3K

$76.7 PKR 21.3K

-33.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.6K

$286 PKR 79.6K

-41.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.3K

$188 PKR 52.2K

-43.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,017 PKR 283.0K

$843 PKR 234.4K

20.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$504 PKR 140.2K

$615 PKR 171.2K

-18.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 PKR 51.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

19.88

1.61%

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

Last update for Nowshera: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lahore: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $14.00 in Nowshera vs $14.00 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $87.0 vs $93.0 per month, with Nowshera cheaper across the board.

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

Nowshera vs Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $540 in Nowshera and $738 in Lahore 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: $75.5 in Nowshera versus $118 in Lahore. 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.