Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gujranwala and Rawalpindi

For one person, living is cheaper in Gujranwala: $400 a month against $498 in Rawalpindi, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gujranwala
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$400
/mo nomad
Rawalpindi
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$498
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gujranwala 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 Gujranwala and in Rawalpindi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $400 per month in Gujranwala vs $498 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

  • Gujranwala $400
  • Rawalpindi $498

A couple spends around $623 per month in Gujranwala vs $784 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

  • Gujranwala $623
  • Rawalpindi $784

A family of three spends $846 per month in Gujranwala vs $1,070 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

  • Gujranwala $846
  • Rawalpindi $1,070

Gujranwala is about 20% cheaper than Rawalpindi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Gujranwala and Rawalpindi are more affordable than the global median – Gujranwala 70% lower, Rawalpindi 63% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gujranwala
Rawalpindi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.62 PKR 1,003
$2.04 PKR 565
77.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.71 PKR 3,519
$16.20 PKR 4,484
-21.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.33 PKR 1,476
$5.79 PKR 1,602
-7.94%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.87 PKR 241
$1.78 PKR 492
-51.12%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.68 PKR 1,850
$3.47 PKR 962
92.51%
Cappuccino
$1.15 PKR 317
$1.94 PKR 537
-40.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23 PKR 63.8
$0.44 PKR 121
-47.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 PKR 42.10
$0.23 PKR 63.3
-34.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gujranwala
Rawalpindi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.77 PKR 214
$0.90 PKR 249
-14.44%
White Bread (500g)
$0.67 PKR 185
$0.59 PKR 162
13.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.12 PKR 311
$1.22 PKR 337
-8.20%
Eggs
$1.28 PKR 353
$1.14 PKR 316
12.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.31 PKR 1,747
$6.38 PKR 1,765
-1.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.34 PKR 647
$3.38 PKR 935
-30.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.43 PKR 1,502
$5.22 PKR 1,446
4.02%
Apples (1kg)
$1.32 PKR 365
$1.14 PKR 316
15.79%
Banana (1kg)
$0.87 PKR 242
$0.89 PKR 245
-2.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.03 PKR 286
$1.22 PKR 337
-15.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.53 PKR 146
$0.56 PKR 156
-5.36%
Potato (1kg)
$0.29 PKR 80.6
$0.35 PKR 97.7
-17.14%
Onion (1kg)
$0.36 PKR 98.8
$0.46 PKR 127
-21.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.24 PKR 66.5
$0.33 PKR 91.5
-27.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.38 PKR 104
$0.42 PKR 117
-9.52%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.94 PKR 538
$16.44 PKR 4,551
-88.20%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 PKR 334
$1.21 PKR 335
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 PKR 754
$2.45 PKR 677
11.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.15 PKR 595
$1.98 PKR 548
8.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Gujranwala
Rawalpindi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 PKR 44.65
$0.17 PKR 46.63
-5.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$10.08 PKR 2,791
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.95 PKR 263
$0.88 PKR 244
7.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.74 PKR 206
$0.35 PKR 95.8
111.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.48 PKR 408
$3.09 PKR 856
-52.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 PKR 328
$1.23 PKR 341
-4.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9K PKR 5.0M
$18.7K PKR 5.2M
-4.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.4K PKR 5.9M
$24.5K PKR 6.8M
-12.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gujranwala
Rawalpindi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$103 PKR 28.5K
$115 PKR 31.8K
-10.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.53 PKR 1,532
$5.74 PKR 1,590
-3.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.42 PKR 4,544
$18.80 PKR 5,204
-12.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gujranwala
Rawalpindi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$7.06 PKR 1,954
$12.17 PKR 3,369
-41.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.93 PKR 1,642
$7.40 PKR 2,048
-19.86%
Cinema Ticket
$4.21 PKR 1,165
$4.38 PKR 1,211
-3.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gujranwala
Rawalpindi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$28.10 PKR 7,777
$49.65 PKR 13.7K
-43.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$941 PKR 260.6K
$1,044 PKR 288.9K
-9.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gujranwala
Rawalpindi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.29 PKR 3,956
$17.65 PKR 4,886
-19.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.44 PKR 7,041
$32.02 PKR 8,862
-20.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.3 PKR 20.3K
$93.4 PKR 25.9K
-21.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.24 PKR 9,199
$35.64 PKR 9,863
-6.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gujranwala
Rawalpindi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$53.8 PKR 14.9K
$204 PKR 56.5K
-73.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$31.33 PKR 8,671
$81.6 PKR 22.6K
-61.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$159 PKR 44.1K
$418 PKR 115.6K
-61.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$101 PKR 27.8K
$222 PKR 61.5K
-54.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,197 PKR 331.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$451 PKR 124.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gujranwala
Rawalpindi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$236 PKR 65.2K
$173 PKR 47.8K
36.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.5
22.81
-49.58%

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

Last update for Gujranwala: October 12, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gujranwala
$125
Rawalpindi
$139 11.5% $14
Groceries & Markets
Gujranwala
$97
Rawalpindi
$103 6.7% $6.5
Clothing & Footwear
Gujranwala
$66
Rawalpindi
$80 22.2% $15
Eating Out
Gujranwala
$60
Rawalpindi
$60 1% $0.6
Accommodation & Living
Gujranwala
$31
Rawalpindi
$82 161% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Gujranwala
$15
Rawalpindi
$21 35.1% $5.4
Getting Around
Gujranwala
$5.3 *
Rawalpindi
$13 152% $8.1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $53.8 in Gujranwala versus $204 in Rawalpindi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Gujranwala, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Gujranwala versus $16.00 in Rawalpindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $97.0 vs $103 – making Gujranwala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Gujranwala
🇵🇰 Rawalpindi
🕒 Local time
13:42 1:42 PM
13:42 1:42 PM
Same time as Gujranwala
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,027,001
2,098,231
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gujranwala Rawalpindi 190 km
From you
  • Gujranwala
  • 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
Gujranwala vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Gujranwala and in Rawalpindi compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $400 in Gujranwala, $498 in Rawalpindi – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Gujranwala compared to Rawalpindi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $600 per month in Gujranwala and $748 in Rawalpindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Gujranwala and Rawalpindi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gujranwala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Gujranwala and $16.00 in Rawalpindi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 7% more in Rawalpindi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How far does $1,200 go in Gujranwala compared to Rawalpindi?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $400 in Gujranwala and $498 in Rawalpindi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Gujranwala or Rawalpindi?
Families tend to lean toward Gujranwala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Gujranwala and Rawalpindi?
If budget matters most, go with Gujranwala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rawalpindi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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