Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Peshawar and Islamabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Peshawar: $437 a month against $599 in Islamabad, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Peshawar
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Peshawar Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
Learn more

Islamabad Living Index

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Peshawar

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$437

/mo nomad

Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$599

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Peshawar and in Islamabad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Peshawar and in Islamabad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $437 per month in Peshawar vs $599 in Islamabad, rent included.

Peshawar $437
Islamabad $599

A couple spends around $629 per month in Peshawar vs $930 in Islamabad, rent included.

Peshawar $629
Islamabad $930

A family of three spends $821 per month in Peshawar vs $1,261 in Islamabad, rent included.

Peshawar $821
Islamabad $1,261

Peshawar is about 27% cheaper than Islamabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Peshawar and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Peshawar 68% lower, Islamabad 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 PKR 663

$3.63 PKR 1,004

-33.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.79 PKR 2,432

$23.40 PKR 6,478

-62.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 PKR 1,460

$5.54 PKR 1,534

-4.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 607

$3.57 PKR 987

-38.66%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 PKR 814

$6.73 PKR 1,864

-56.32%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PKR 722

$2.64 PKR 730

-1.14%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.32 PKR 89.6

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 55.2

$0.23 PKR 63.7

-13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 270

$0.94 PKR 259

4.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 PKR 212

$0.72 PKR 200

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 292

$1.30 PKR 361

-19.23%

Eggs

$1.06 PKR 294

$1.22 PKR 339

-13.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.51 PKR 972

$6.05 PKR 1,674

-41.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 PKR 840

$3.09 PKR 855

-1.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.80 PKR 1,051

$5.35 PKR 1,482

-28.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 327

$1.26 PKR 350

-6.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.87 PKR 241

-36.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 161

$1.04 PKR 288

-44.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.53 PKR 146

5.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 80.3

$0.29 PKR 81.2

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.4

$0.36 PKR 99.4

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 77.1

$0.28 PKR 76.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 PKR 75.1

$0.39 PKR 108

-30.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.02 PKR 558

$1.95 PKR 539

3.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PKR 196

$1.19 PKR 331

-40.34%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PKR 205

$2.68 PKR 743

-72.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 PKR 492

$2.24 PKR 619

-20.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 PKR 63.8

$0.16 PKR 43.07

43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.53 PKR 3,467

$21.34 PKR 5,905

-41.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 PKR 295

$1.24 PKR 344

-14.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 190

$0.74 PKR 204

-6.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 PKR 405

$1.60 PKR 442

-8.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.37 PKR 378

-11.68%

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

$22.2K PKR 6.1M

$54.5K PKR 15.1M

-59.32%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.6M

$23.9K PKR 6.6M

0.51%

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

$100 PKR 27.8K

$103 PKR 28.6K

-2.82%

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

$6.11 PKR 1,691

$5.99 PKR 1,658

2.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.22 PKR 3,935

$17.15 PKR 4,746

-17.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.46 PKR 4,280

$28.20 PKR 7,806

-45.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.15 PKR 1,701

$8.47 PKR 2,344

-27.39%

Cinema Ticket

$2.01 PKR 557

$4.43 PKR 1,226

-54.63%

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

$46.31 PKR 12.8K

$75.7 PKR 20.9K

-38.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,106 PKR 1.4M

$5,004 PKR 1.4M

2.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.09 PKR 1,962

$25.72 PKR 7,118

-72.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.28 PKR 4,507

$34.48 PKR 9,543

-52.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.87 PKR 13.8K

$95.5 PKR 26.4K

-47.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.01 PKR 11.1K

$41.32 PKR 11.4K

-3.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 PKR 35.2K

$276 PKR 76.5K

-54.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.2 PKR 21.1K

$139 PKR 38.3K

-45.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 PKR 55.8K

$572 PKR 158.2K

-64.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.7K

$270 PKR 74.9K

-56.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,629 PKR 450.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$836 PKR 231.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$147 PKR 40.6K

$380 PKR 105.2K

-61.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

-15.90%

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

Last update for Peshawar: October 13, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Peshawar

$121 27.6%

Islamabad

$126 21.1% 4.8% $5.7

Groceries & Markets

Peshawar

$83 19.1%

Islamabad

$102 17% 22.6% $19

Accommodation & Living

Peshawar

$76 17.4%

Islamabad

$139 23.1% 81.9% $62

Eating Out

Peshawar

$69 15.7%

Islamabad

$80 13.3% 16.1% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Peshawar

$51 11.7%

Islamabad

$89 14.8% 74% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Peshawar

$19 4.5%

Islamabad

$37 6.2% 90.2% $18

Getting Around

Peshawar

$18 4.1%

Islamabad

$27 4.5% 49.8% $8.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $127 in Peshawar versus $276 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 159% 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 $9.00 in Peshawar versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $83.0 vs $102 – making Peshawar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Peshawar

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🕒 Local time

22:16 10:16 PM

Same time as Peshawar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,970,042

1,009,832 Capital

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Peshawar Islamabad 140 km

From you

Peshawar
Islamabad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Peshawar vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 37%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $655 per month in Peshawar and $899 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $9.00 in Peshawar and $23.00 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 $437 in Peshawar and $599 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Peshawar – 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 Peshawar. 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.