Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $459 per month in Hyderabad vs $437 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $699 per month in Hyderabad vs $671 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $939 per month in Hyderabad vs $905 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 5% more than Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Rawalpindi are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 66% lower, Rawalpindi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 PKR 504

$1.82 PKR 505

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.42 PKR 2,894

$13.95 PKR 3,873

-25.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.05 PKR 1,124

$5.40 PKR 1,499

-25.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 PKR 556

$1.56 PKR 433

28.21%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.26 PKR 1,462

$3.53 PKR 980

49.01%

Cappuccino

$0.93 PKR 259

$1.71 PKR 474

-45.61%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.1

$0.31 PKR 87.1

9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.1

$0.23 PKR 63.9

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.86 PKR 239

-15.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 PKR 139

$0.53 PKR 146

-5.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 PKR 323

$1.30 PKR 361

-10.77%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.12 PKR 312

-0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,681

$6.03 PKR 1,674

0.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 PKR 752

$3.43 PKR 954

-20.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.18 PKR 1,161

$4.40 PKR 1,221

-5.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 301

$1.01 PKR 280

6.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.69 PKR 191

-20.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 241

$0.85 PKR 236

2.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.47 PKR 129

10.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.7

$0.34 PKR 94.1

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 140

$0.52 PKR 145

-1.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.24 PKR 66.0

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.39 PKR 109

12.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.88 PKR 245

$16.04 PKR 4,454

-94.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 PKR 348

$0.99 PKR 274

26.26%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 PKR 580

$2.40 PKR 666

-12.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 PKR 603

$1.91 PKR 532

13.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 PKR 42.60

$0.20 PKR 56.1

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.50 PKR 2,638

$9.52 PKR 2,645

-0.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 PKR 180

$0.86 PKR 240

-24.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 PKR 55.1

$0.32 PKR 89.7

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 PKR 200

$2.92 PKR 811

-75.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 PKR 244

$0.97 PKR 270

-9.28%

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

$16.9K PKR 4.7M

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

-4.49%

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

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

0.83%

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

$135 PKR 37.4K

$104 PKR 28.8K

29.93%

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

$4.61 PKR 1,280

$4.04 PKR 1,121

14.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.27 PKR 3,686

$16.63 PKR 4,618

-20.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.84 PKR 5,787

$9.97 PKR 2,768

109.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.45 PKR 959

$7.43 PKR 2,062

-53.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.51 PKR 976

$3.47 PKR 964

1.15%

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

$41.17 PKR 11.4K

$40.20 PKR 11.2K

2.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,109 PKR 307.9K

$948 PKR 263.3K

16.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.58 PKR 4,881

$11.90 PKR 3,304

47.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.02 PKR 6,947

$18.45 PKR 5,124

35.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.6 PKR 17.9K

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

-27.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.40 PKR 10.1K

$29.00 PKR 8,053

25.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

$133 PKR 36.8K

-10.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.0 PKR 18.9K

$65.1 PKR 18.1K

4.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 PKR 81.7K

$330 PKR 91.6K

-10.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 PKR 54.0K

$171 PKR 47.4K

13.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$590 PKR 163.7K

$1,176 PKR 326.5K

-49.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$196 PKR 54.4K

$518 PKR 143.8K

-62.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$174 PKR 48.4K

$175 PKR 48.5K

-0.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

-25.63%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: July 11, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Hyderabad versus $133 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 0% higher in Rawalpindi, 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 $10.00 in Hyderabad versus $14.00 in Rawalpindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $89.0 vs $95.0 – making Hyderabad 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

Hyderabad vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hyderabad costs about 5% more than Rawalpindi, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $688 per month in Hyderabad and $656 in Rawalpindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Hyderabad and $14.00 in Rawalpindi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $459 in Hyderabad and $437 in Rawalpindi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $459 in Hyderabad and $437 in Rawalpindi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Rawalpindi – 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 Rawalpindi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hyderabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.