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: $504 in Rawalpindi versus $499 in Nowshera.

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

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

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 1% more expensive than in Nowshera, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 PKR 588

$3.53 PKR 979

-39.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.93 PKR 4,416

$23.17 PKR 6,423

-31.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 PKR 1,633

$5.46 PKR 1,513

7.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

$3.54 PKR 982

-48.87%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 PKR 976

$7.00 PKR 1,940

-49.71%

Cappuccino

$1.94 PKR 538

$2.48 PKR 688

-21.77%

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

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.33 PKR 90.2

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.24 PKR 66.8

4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.94 PKR 261

-4.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.74 PKR 206

-25.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 342

$1.26 PKR 348

-2.38%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 307

$1.23 PKR 342

-9.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 PKR 1,708

$5.89 PKR 1,632

4.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 988

$3.19 PKR 885

11.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 PKR 1,446

$5.07 PKR 1,407

2.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.27 PKR 352

-10.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 237

$0.82 PKR 228

4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$1.07 PKR 297

14.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.46 PKR 128

23.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.3

$0.27 PKR 74.6

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 127

$0.32 PKR 89.8

43.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.1

$0.27 PKR 74.7

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.38 PKR 106

5.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.28 PKR 4,515

$1.85 PKR 513

780.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 332

$1.38 PKR 381

-13.04%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 PKR 681

$2.48 PKR 687

-0.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$2.40 PKR 665

-19.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.62

$0.20 PKR 55.6

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 PKR 2,807

$11.34 PKR 3,144

-10.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

$1.24 PKR 344

-26.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.70 PKR 195

-45.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 PKR 876

$1.64 PKR 454

92.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 312

$1.26 PKR 350

-10.32%

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

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

$21.8K PKR 6.1M

-16.53%

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

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

-0.63%

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

$115 PKR 31.9K

$103 PKR 28.4K

12.13%

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

$5.49 PKR 1,522

$5.88 PKR 1,630

-6.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 PKR 5,175

$16.19 PKR 4,489

15.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.12 PKR 3,361

$15.94 PKR 4,420

-23.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.75 PKR 1,872

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,187

$4.73 PKR 1,312

-9.51%

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

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

$74.9 PKR 20.8K

-35.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$844 PKR 234.0K

$999 PKR 277.0K

-15.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.85 PKR 5,780

$23.51 PKR 6,518

-11.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.03 PKR 7,771

$31.94 PKR 8,855

-12.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

$82.4 PKR 22.8K

10.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

$39.52 PKR 11.0K

-8.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 PKR 56.7K

$115 PKR 31.9K

77.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.0 PKR 22.7K

$76.3 PKR 21.2K

7.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 PKR 121.5K

$277 PKR 76.9K

58.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 PKR 62.5K

$159 PKR 44.1K

41.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,164 PKR 322.8K

$808 PKR 224.0K

44.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$512 PKR 142.1K

$538 PKR 149.2K

-4.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

13.08

74.39%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Last update for Nowshera: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $16.00 in Rawalpindi vs $23.00 in Nowshera. Groceries flip the comparison at $103 vs $101, 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 1% in total monthly costs ($504 vs $499 including rent). Nowshera is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $756 in Rawalpindi and $749 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: $204 in Rawalpindi versus $115 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 $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 $504 per month in Rawalpindi versus $499 in Nowshera – 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.