Cost of Living Comparison Between Wah and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Wah and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $423 per month in Wah vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $635 per month in Wah vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $848 per month in Wah vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Wah is about 28% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Wah and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Wah 69% lower, Islamabad 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 PKR 512

$3.57 PKR 989

-48.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.91 PKR 3,024

$22.74 PKR 6,305

-52.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 PKR 1,473

$5.47 PKR 1,516

-2.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 PKR 681

$3.55 PKR 985

-30.70%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 PKR 592

$6.71 PKR 1,861

-68.11%

Cappuccino

$1.28 PKR 356

$2.39 PKR 663

-46.44%

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

$0.30 PKR 84.6

$0.32 PKR 90.0

-6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 72.3

$0.22 PKR 60.8

18.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 PKR 217

$0.99 PKR 275

-21.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.79 PKR 219

-24.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 341

$1.28 PKR 354

-3.91%

Eggs

$1.19 PKR 331

$1.28 PKR 356

-7.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 PKR 2,367

$6.11 PKR 1,694

39.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 PKR 712

$3.06 PKR 848

-16.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.96 PKR 1,097

$5.12 PKR 1,420

-22.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 299

$1.34 PKR 371

-19.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.84 PKR 232

-21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$1.02 PKR 282

-47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 140

$0.49 PKR 135

4.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$0.29 PKR 81.1

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.33 PKR 90.4

60.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.29 PKR 80.8

75.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.38 PKR 106

13.16%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.53 PKR 146

$1.90 PKR 528

-72.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 PKR 146

$1.38 PKR 383

-61.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 PKR 193

$2.35 PKR 651

-70.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 PKR 651

$2.28 PKR 632

3.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.4

$0.16 PKR 44.29

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.14 PKR 3,088

$21.23 PKR 5,885

-47.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 PKR 293

$1.27 PKR 353

-16.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 PKR 305

$0.69 PKR 191

59.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 PKR 796

$1.65 PKR 458

73.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 PKR 309

$1.32 PKR 365

-15.91%

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

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-57.20%

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

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

-8.58%

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

$67.2 PKR 18.6K

$102 PKR 28.3K

-34.18%

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

$5.54 PKR 1,536

$5.83 PKR 1,617

-4.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.31 PKR 3,968

$16.34 PKR 4,531

-12.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.69 PKR 3,795

$29.09 PKR 8,066

-52.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,477

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 PKR 1,980

$5.01 PKR 1,389

42.51%

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

$26.72 PKR 7,408

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

-64.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,048 PKR 567.9K

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

-59.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.69 PKR 5,182

$23.55 PKR 6,528

-20.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.49 PKR 7,345

$32.68 PKR 9,060

-18.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.2 PKR 15.0K

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

-35.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.16 PKR 8,084

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

-25.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

$277 PKR 76.8K

-57.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.2 PKR 20.8K

$144 PKR 40.0K

-47.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 PKR 73.7K

$577 PKR 160.0K

-53.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 PKR 38.8K

$266 PKR 73.8K

-47.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$911 PKR 252.6K

$1,635 PKR 453.2K

-44.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$554 PKR 153.6K

$829 PKR 230.0K

-33.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.83

13.08

-9.56%

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

Last update for Wah: September 1, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Wah versus $277 in Islamabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Wah versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $97.0 vs $103 – making Wah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Wah vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $635 per month in Wah and $884 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Islamabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Wah and $23.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $423 in Wah and $589 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Wah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Wah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Islamabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.