Cost of Living Comparison Between Nowshera and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Nowshera and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $499 in Nowshera versus $504 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $767 in Nowshera versus $786 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,035 in Nowshera versus $1,069 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Nowshera costs roughly 1% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nowshera 64% lower, Rawalpindi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 PKR 979

$2.12 PKR 588

66.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.17 PKR 6,423

$15.93 PKR 4,416

45.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 PKR 1,513

$5.89 PKR 1,633

-7.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 PKR 982

$1.81 PKR 502

95.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 PKR 1,940

$3.52 PKR 976

98.86%

Cappuccino

$2.48 PKR 688

$1.94 PKR 538

27.84%

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

$0.33 PKR 90.2

$0.44 PKR 122

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.8

$0.25 PKR 69.4

-4.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.90 PKR 250

4.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 PKR 206

$0.55 PKR 152

34.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 348

$1.23 PKR 342

2.44%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 342

$1.11 PKR 307

10.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 PKR 1,632

$6.16 PKR 1,708

-4.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 PKR 885

$3.57 PKR 988

-10.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 PKR 1,407

$5.22 PKR 1,446

-2.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 352

$1.14 PKR 316

11.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 PKR 228

$0.86 PKR 237

-4.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 297

$1.23 PKR 340

-13.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 128

$0.57 PKR 158

-19.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 74.6

$0.36 PKR 99.3

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 89.8

$0.46 PKR 127

-30.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.27 PKR 74.7

$0.33 PKR 92.1

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.40 PKR 111

-5.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 PKR 513

$16.28 PKR 4,515

-88.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 381

$1.20 PKR 332

15.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 PKR 687

$2.46 PKR 681

0.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 PKR 665

$1.93 PKR 535

24.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.6

$0.16 PKR 43.62

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.34 PKR 3,144

$10.12 PKR 2,807

12.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 PKR 344

$0.91 PKR 253

36.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 195

$0.38 PKR 104

84.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PKR 454

$3.16 PKR 876

-48.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 PKR 350

$1.13 PKR 312

11.50%

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

$21.8K PKR 6.1M

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

19.80%

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

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

0.63%

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

$103 PKR 28.4K

$115 PKR 31.9K

-10.82%

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

$5.88 PKR 1,630

$5.49 PKR 1,522

7.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.19 PKR 4,489

$18.67 PKR 5,175

-13.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.94 PKR 4,420

$12.12 PKR 3,361

31.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.75 PKR 1,872

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 PKR 1,312

$4.28 PKR 1,187

10.51%

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

$74.9 PKR 20.8K

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

54.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$999 PKR 277.0K

$844 PKR 234.0K

18.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.51 PKR 6,518

$20.85 PKR 5,780

12.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.94 PKR 8,855

$28.03 PKR 7,771

13.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 PKR 22.8K

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

-9.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.52 PKR 11.0K

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

8.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 PKR 31.9K

$204 PKR 56.7K

-43.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 PKR 21.2K

$82.0 PKR 22.7K

-6.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.9K

$438 PKR 121.5K

-36.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 PKR 44.1K

$225 PKR 62.5K

-29.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$808 PKR 224.0K

$1,164 PKR 322.8K

-30.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$538 PKR 149.2K

$512 PKR 142.1K

5.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

22.81

-42.66%

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

Last update for Nowshera: August 30, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $115 in Nowshera and $204 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Nowshera vs $16.00 in Rawalpindi. Groceries flip the comparison at $101 vs $103, 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

Nowshera vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nowshera and Rawalpindi differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($499 vs $504 including rent). Nowshera is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $749 in Nowshera and $756 in Rawalpindi 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: $115 in Nowshera versus $204 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nowshera – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $16.00 in Rawalpindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $499 per month in Nowshera versus $504 in Rawalpindi – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 1% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.