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: $429 in Rawalpindi versus $360 in Nowshera.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $679 in Rawalpindi versus $591 in Nowshera.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $929 in Rawalpindi versus $823 in Nowshera.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 19% more expensive than Nowshera, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 68% lower, Nowshera 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 PKR 496

$2.77 PKR 771

-35.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,957

$14.03 PKR 3,903

1.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 PKR 1,470

$5.25 PKR 1,460

0.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 PKR 429

$1.80 PKR 500

-14.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 PKR 947

$3.92 PKR 1,091

-13.27%

Cappuccino

$1.73 PKR 481

$2.00 PKR 557

-13.50%

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

$0.32 PKR 88.9

$0.39 PKR 109

-17.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.22 PKR 60.8

4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.74 PKR 206

6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.65 PKR 182

-12.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 343

$1.28 PKR 356

-3.91%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 311

$1.11 PKR 310

0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 PKR 1,693

$6.16 PKR 1,713

-1.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 944

$2.82 PKR 783

20.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 PKR 1,271

$3.96 PKR 1,102

15.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$0.58 PKR 162

75.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.44 PKR 121

52.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 257

$0.86 PKR 240

6.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 132

$0.56 PKR 157

-16.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 93.2

$0.39 PKR 107

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.37 PKR 102

40.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 PKR 72.7

$0.33 PKR 93.0

-21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.33 PKR 92.7

12.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.44 PKR 4,573

$1.37 PKR 382

1100.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 PKR 288

$0.93 PKR 258

11.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PKR 669

$1.44 PKR 400

67.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 528

$2.10 PKR 585

-9.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.36

$0.16 PKR 44.74

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 PKR 2,751

$6.96 PKR 1,936

42.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 97.5

$0.40 PKR 112

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 PKR 826

$2.89 PKR 803

2.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 267

$0.97 PKR 271

-1.03%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-16.45%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$25.8K PKR 7.2M

-11.66%

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

$100 PKR 28.0K

$28.68 PKR 7,980

250.35%

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

$3.99 PKR 1,111

$2.11 PKR 586

89.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.64 PKR 4,630

$11.89 PKR 3,307

39.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.14 PKR 2,821

$12.50 PKR 3,476

-18.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.67 PKR 2,135

$6.10 PKR 1,698

25.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.60 PKR 1,003

$4.21 PKR 1,171

-14.49%

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

$39.75 PKR 11.1K

$59.8 PKR 16.6K

-33.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$962 PKR 267.6K

$1,089 PKR 303.0K

-11.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.80 PKR 3,282

$21.77 PKR 6,056

-45.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.84 PKR 5,242

$28.50 PKR 7,928

-33.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

-1.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.38 PKR 7,896

$40.01 PKR 11.1K

-29.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 36.1K

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

71.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

$51.2 PKR 14.3K

29.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 PKR 90.1K

$167 PKR 46.6K

93.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$105 PKR 29.3K

64.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,173 PKR 326.4K

$1,017 PKR 283.0K

15.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$516 PKR 143.6K

$504 PKR 140.2K

2.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 PKR 47.6K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nowshera: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Rawalpindi and $75.5 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 19% in total monthly costs ($429 vs $360 including rent). Nowshera is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $644 in Rawalpindi and $540 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: $130 in Rawalpindi versus $75.5 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 $429 per month in Rawalpindi versus $360 in Nowshera – a 19% 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 19% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.