Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Rawalpindi

For one person, living is cheaper in Rawalpindi: $491 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $26,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Rawalpindi
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Rawalpindi Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Rawalpindi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$491

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Rawalpindi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $491 in Rawalpindi.

Austin, TX $2,704
Rawalpindi $491

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $776 in Rawalpindi.

Austin, TX $4,133
Rawalpindi $776

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $1,060 in Rawalpindi.

Austin, TX $5,562
Rawalpindi $1,060

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 451% more expensive than in Rawalpindi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Rawalpindi is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$2.03 PKR 561

896.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$16.03 PKR 4,436

430.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$5.83 PKR 1,612

111.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 PKR 511

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 PKR 927

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$1.95 PKR 539

180.51%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$0.44 PKR 121

768.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.25 PKR 69.6

900.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.84 PKR 233

34.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$0.56 PKR 155

575.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.24 PKR 343

162.10%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$1.14 PKR 316

263.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$6.38 PKR 1,764

105.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$3.53 PKR 977

305.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$4.95 PKR 1,370

222.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.16 PKR 320

277.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.87 PKR 242

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.24 PKR 343

266.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$0.54 PKR 149

675.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$0.38 PKR 105

592.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.46 PKR 127

413.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.33 PKR 92.7

433.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.39 PKR 108

453.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.10 PKR 4,456

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 PKR 334

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PKR 670

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$2.03 PKR 562

383.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.20 PKR 55.7

645.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$10.05 PKR 2,781

303.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.94 PKR 259

184.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.37 PKR 104

327.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$3.14 PKR 870

1023.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.19 PKR 329

-16.81%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$18.9K PKR 5.2M

89.49%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$24.3K PKR 6.7M

12.05%

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

$219 $219

$111 PKR 30.7K

97.45%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$5.70 PKR 1,577

917.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$18.42 PKR 5,097

271.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$11.76 PKR 3,256

392.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$7.27 PKR 2,011

103.85%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$4.40 PKR 1,219

221.14%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$48.86 PKR 13.5K

2988.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$1,033 PKR 285.8K

1977.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$17.34 PKR 4,798

197.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$32.45 PKR 8,981

35.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$91.5 PKR 25.3K

-7.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$36.83 PKR 10.2K

185.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$197 PKR 54.7K

878.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$82.2 PKR 22.7K

1448.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$410 PKR 113.4K

795.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$231 PKR 63.8K

995.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$1,196 PKR 331.1K

536.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$454 PKR 125.6K

605.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$177 PKR 49.0K

2782.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

22.81

-70.23%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Rawalpindi

$82 16.7% 93.5% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Rawalpindi

$102 20.7% 74.7% $301

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Rawalpindi

$60 12.1% 82.8% $288

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Rawalpindi

$135 27.4% 60.9% $210

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Rawalpindi

$80 16.2% 37.7% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Rawalpindi

$21 4.2% 76.1% $66

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Rawalpindi

$14 2.8% 76% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $197 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2782% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $16.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $102 per month, with Rawalpindi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇵🇰 Rawalpindi

🕒 Local time

00:29 12:29 AM

10:29 10:29 AM

10 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

2,098,231

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 310 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

PKR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Rawalpindi 12,850 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Rawalpindi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Austin, TX vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi wins on cost – living expenses run 451% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rawalpindi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 2782% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $197 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $491 in Rawalpindi – a 451% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rawalpindi runs roughly 303% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $491 in Rawalpindi versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rawalpindi but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Rawalpindi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 451% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.