Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Nowshera

For one person, living costs are similar in Rawalpindi and in Nowshera: $500 and $509 a month, rent and utilities included.

24

Cost of Living Index in Rawalpindi
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Rawalpindi Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Nowshera
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Nowshera Living Index

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Rawalpindi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$500

/mo nomad

Nowshera

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$509

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rawalpindi and in Nowshera

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $500 in Rawalpindi versus $509 in Nowshera.

Rawalpindi $500
Nowshera $509

Estimated couple costs with rent: $786 in Rawalpindi versus $798 in Nowshera.

Rawalpindi $786
Nowshera $798

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,073 in Rawalpindi versus $1,087 in Nowshera.

Rawalpindi $1,073
Nowshera $1,087

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 2% less than in Nowshera, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 63% lower, Nowshera 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 588

$3.53 PKR 976

-39.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.46 PKR 4,556

$23.17 PKR 6,413

-28.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 PKR 1,695

$5.47 PKR 1,515

11.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 PKR 493

$3.56 PKR 986

-50.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 PKR 938

$6.88 PKR 1,904

-50.73%

Cappuccino

$1.93 PKR 534

$2.60 PKR 720

-25.77%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.33 PKR 90.0

30.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.5

$0.21 PKR 58.1

9.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 PKR 235

$1.01 PKR 278

-15.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.78 PKR 215

-24.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 338

$1.25 PKR 346

-2.40%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.20 PKR 333

-7.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PKR 1,684

$6.07 PKR 1,680

0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 PKR 981

$3.04 PKR 843

16.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 PKR 1,451

$5.42 PKR 1,499

-3.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 333

$1.28 PKR 354

-6.25%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 240

$0.87 PKR 241

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 349

$1.07 PKR 297

17.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.56 PKR 154

-5.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.29 PKR 80.5

34.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.36 PKR 99.1

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 PKR 88.5

$0.30 PKR 83.0

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.40 PKR 110

7.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.54 PKR 4,577

$1.82 PKR 503

808.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 PKR 337

$1.20 PKR 331

1.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 PKR 696

$2.44 PKR 676

3.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.01 PKR 555

$2.36 PKR 654

-14.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.2

$0.16 PKR 44.97

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.70 PKR 2,685

$9.83 PKR 2,721

-1.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 239

$1.25 PKR 345

-31.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.70 PKR 194

-47.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 PKR 872

$1.58 PKR 437

99.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 PKR 344

$1.32 PKR 365

-6.06%

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

$18.7K PKR 5.2M

$22.0K PKR 6.1M

-14.98%

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

$23.6K PKR 6.5M

$24.0K PKR 6.6M

-1.57%

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

$114 PKR 31.5K

$101 PKR 27.9K

12.90%

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

$5.84 PKR 1,616

$5.90 PKR 1,632

-1.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.80 PKR 5,203

$17.15 PKR 4,747

9.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.23 PKR 3,385

$14.69 PKR 4,066

-16.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.45 PKR 2,063

$7.99 PKR 2,210

-6.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,180

$4.46 PKR 1,234

-4.48%

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

$48.61 PKR 13.5K

$74.5 PKR 20.6K

-34.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,038 PKR 287.4K

$1,043 PKR 288.6K

-0.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.45 PKR 4,831

$26.20 PKR 7,252

-33.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.71 PKR 9,054

$35.27 PKR 9,761

-7.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 PKR 25.7K

$96.2 PKR 26.6K

-3.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.95 PKR 9,949

$40.04 PKR 11.1K

-10.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 54.8K

$125 PKR 34.5K

58.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.1 PKR 23.0K

$75.9 PKR 21.0K

9.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 PKR 115.3K

$257 PKR 71.1K

62.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 PKR 61.8K

$150 PKR 41.6K

48.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,196 PKR 331.0K

$948 PKR 262.4K

26.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$450 PKR 124.5K

$486 PKR 134.6K

-7.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.5K

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: October 17, 2026

Last update for Nowshera: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rawalpindi

$138 27.7%

Nowshera

$124 24.3% 10.5% $15

Groceries & Markets

Rawalpindi

$103 20.6%

Nowshera

$104 20.4% 0.7% $0.7

Accommodation & Living

Rawalpindi

$83 16.6%

Nowshera

$76 14.9% 8.7% $7.2

Clothing & Footwear

Rawalpindi

$80 16.1%

Nowshera

$89 17.5% 10.6% $8.5

Eating Out

Rawalpindi

$61 12.2%

Nowshera

$78 15.3% 27.5% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Rawalpindi

$21 4.2%

Nowshera

$24 4.6% 13.7% $2.8

Getting Around

Rawalpindi

$13 2.7%

Nowshera

$15 3% 15.2% $2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Rawalpindi and $125 in Nowshera. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16.00 in Rawalpindi vs $23.00 in Nowshera for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $103 vs $104 per month, with Rawalpindi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Rawalpindi

🇵🇰 Nowshera

🕒 Local time

21:56 9:56 PM

Same time as Rawalpindi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,098,231

120,131

💱 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

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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 2% in total monthly costs ($500 vs $509 including rent). Rawalpindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $750 in Rawalpindi and $764 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: $198 in Rawalpindi versus $125 in Nowshera. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rawalpindi – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $23.00 in Nowshera. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $500 per month in Rawalpindi versus $509 in Nowshera – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

Expats usually find Rawalpindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Nowshera. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.