Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Nawabshah Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Nawabshah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $429 in Rawalpindi versus $430 in Nawabshah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $679 in Rawalpindi versus $631 in Nawabshah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $929 in Rawalpindi versus $832 in Nawabshah.

Monthly costs are close between Rawalpindi and Nawabshah; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 68% lower, Nawabshah 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 PKR 496

$2.14 PKR 594

-16.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,958

$12.49 PKR 3,476

13.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 PKR 1,471

$3.99 PKR 1,111

32.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 PKR 429

$2.00 PKR 556

-23.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 PKR 947

$5.20 PKR 1,447

-34.62%

Cappuccino

$1.73 PKR 481

$1.84 PKR 512

-5.98%

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

$0.32 PKR 88.9

$0.36 PKR 100

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.21 PKR 58.4

9.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.73 PKR 202

8.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.31 PKR 85.1

83.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 343

$1.17 PKR 324

5.13%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 311

$1.02 PKR 283

9.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 PKR 1,694

$6.52 PKR 1,814

-6.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 944

$2.19 PKR 608

54.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 PKR 1,271

$3.69 PKR 1,026

23.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.08 PKR 301

-5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.43 PKR 120

55.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 257

$0.69 PKR 191

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 132

$0.28 PKR 78.8

67.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 93.2

$0.28 PKR 78.5

17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.51 PKR 143

1.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 PKR 72.8

$0.38 PKR 107

-31.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.40 PKR 112

-7.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.44 PKR 4,575

$1.23 PKR 343

1236.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.32 PKR 366

-21.21%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PKR 670

$2.13 PKR 594

13.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 528

$1.66 PKR 461

14.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.38

$0.18 PKR 50.7

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 PKR 2,752

$7.28 PKR 2,025

35.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.74 PKR 206

22.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 97.6

$0.67 PKR 187

-47.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 PKR 826

$1.82 PKR 506

63.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 267

$0.93 PKR 259

3.23%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

9.92%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$25.0K PKR 7.0M

-9.03%

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

$100 PKR 28.0K

$132 PKR 36.8K

-24.07%

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

$3.99 PKR 1,111

$4.89 PKR 1,360

-18.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.64 PKR 4,631

$13.65 PKR 3,797

21.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.14 PKR 2,822

$12.35 PKR 3,438

-17.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.67 PKR 2,135

$5.78 PKR 1,609

32.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.60 PKR 1,003

$4.16 PKR 1,158

-13.46%

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

$39.75 PKR 11.1K

$57.0 PKR 15.9K

-30.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$962 PKR 267.7K

$1,377 PKR 383.1K

-30.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.80 PKR 3,283

$17.82 PKR 4,958

-33.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.84 PKR 5,244

$25.09 PKR 6,982

-24.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$65.7 PKR 18.3K

33.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.38 PKR 7,899

$35.56 PKR 9,895

-20.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 36.1K

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

75.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

$52.1 PKR 14.5K

27.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 PKR 90.2K

$164 PKR 45.7K

97.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$106 PKR 29.6K

62.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,173 PKR 326.5K

$1,008 PKR 280.4K

16.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$516 PKR 143.6K

$530 PKR 147.3K

-2.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 PKR 47.6K

$128 PKR 35.6K

33.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

17.8

13.31%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nawabshah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Rawalpindi and $73.9 in Nawabshah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rawalpindi pays 34% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $14.00 in Rawalpindi vs $12.00 in Nawabshah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $95.0 vs $81.0 per month, with Nawabshah 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

Rawalpindi vs Nawabshah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi pays 34% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $130 in Rawalpindi versus $73.9 in Nawabshah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Rawalpindi runs roughly 36% less than in Nawabshah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Nawabshah pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Rawalpindi 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.

It comes down to priorities – Rawalpindi wins on affordability, Nawabshah on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.