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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $437 in Rawalpindi versus $353 in Nowshera.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $671 in Rawalpindi versus $579 in Nowshera.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $905 in Rawalpindi versus $805 in Nowshera.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 24% more expensive than in Nowshera, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 67% lower, Nowshera 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 PKR 505

$2.89 PKR 804

-37.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.95 PKR 3,873

$14.31 PKR 3,974

-2.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.40 PKR 1,499

$5.35 PKR 1,486

0.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 PKR 433

$1.79 PKR 498

-12.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 PKR 980

$3.92 PKR 1,090

-9.95%

Cappuccino

$1.71 PKR 474

$2.05 PKR 569

-16.59%

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

$0.31 PKR 87.1

$0.43 PKR 118

-27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.9

$0.24 PKR 66.7

-4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 PKR 239

$0.79 PKR 220

8.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.62 PKR 172

-14.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$1.21 PKR 337

7.44%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 312

$1.13 PKR 313

-0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 PKR 1,674

$6.34 PKR 1,760

-4.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 PKR 953

$2.76 PKR 768

24.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.40 PKR 1,221

$3.91 PKR 1,086

12.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 PKR 280

$0.59 PKR 164

71.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$0.40 PKR 112

72.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.89 PKR 246

-4.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 129

$0.60 PKR 167

-21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 94.1

$0.41 PKR 114

-17.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.33 PKR 92.5

57.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.0

$0.31 PKR 84.8

-22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 109

$0.37 PKR 102

5.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.04 PKR 4,454

$1.48 PKR 412

983.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 PKR 274

$0.85 PKR 235

16.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PKR 666

$1.37 PKR 381

75.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 PKR 531

$2.16 PKR 600

-11.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.1

$0.17 PKR 47.59

17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.52 PKR 2,645

$7.23 PKR 2,008

31.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 240

$0.92 PKR 254

-6.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 PKR 89.7

$0.43 PKR 121

-25.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 PKR 811

$2.77 PKR 768

5.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 270

$0.98 PKR 271

-1.02%

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

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

-15.70%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$25.8K PKR 7.2M

-11.61%

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

$104 PKR 28.8K

$28.81 PKR 7,999

259.91%

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

$4.04 PKR 1,121

$2.11 PKR 585

91.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.63 PKR 4,618

$11.46 PKR 3,183

45.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.97 PKR 2,768

$12.55 PKR 3,486

-20.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 PKR 2,062

$5.92 PKR 1,642

25.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 PKR 964

$4.21 PKR 1,168

-17.58%

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

$40.20 PKR 11.2K

$59.1 PKR 16.4K

-32.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$948 PKR 263.3K

$1,108 PKR 307.8K

-14.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.90 PKR 3,304

$21.24 PKR 5,898

-43.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.45 PKR 5,124

$28.23 PKR 7,839

-34.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

$87.6 PKR 24.3K

2.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.00 PKR 8,052

$40.80 PKR 11.3K

-28.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 36.8K

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

74.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.1 PKR 18.1K

$51.1 PKR 14.2K

27.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 PKR 91.6K

$166 PKR 46.0K

99.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 PKR 47.4K

$104 PKR 28.9K

64.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 PKR 326.5K

$871 PKR 241.8K

35.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$518 PKR 143.8K

$531 PKR 147.6K

-2.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

20.2

-0.15%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 14, 2026

Last update for Nowshera: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Rawalpindi and $75.9 in Nowshera. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Rawalpindi vs $14.00 in Nowshera. Groceries flip the comparison at $95.0 vs $87.0, 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

Rawalpindi vs Nowshera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi and Nowshera differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($437 vs $353 including rent). Nowshera is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $656 in Rawalpindi and $529 in Nowshera 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: $133 in Rawalpindi versus $75.9 in Nowshera. 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 $14.00 versus $14.00 in Rawalpindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $437 per month in Rawalpindi versus $353 in Nowshera – a 24% 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 24% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.