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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $436 per month in Hyderabad vs $503 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $683 per month in Hyderabad vs $776 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $931 per month in Hyderabad vs $1,050 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

Hyderabad is about 13% cheaper than Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hyderabad and Rawalpindi are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 68% lower, Rawalpindi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.69 PKR 467

$2.09 PKR 580

-19.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.79 PKR 2,988

$16.42 PKR 4,548

-34.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.42 PKR 1,225

$5.81 PKR 1,611

-23.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 PKR 615

$1.84 PKR 511

20.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 PKR 1,636

$3.48 PKR 963

69.54%

Cappuccino

$1.02 PKR 284

$1.92 PKR 532

-46.87%

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

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.40 PKR 111

-5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.25 PKR 69.4

-4.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 212

$0.86 PKR 239

-10.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 PKR 143

$0.59 PKR 163

-11.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 PKR 345

$1.20 PKR 333

4.17%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 338

$1.15 PKR 318

6.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 PKR 1,189

$6.21 PKR 1,721

-30.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 PKR 857

$3.47 PKR 962

-10.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.05 PKR 1,123

$5.18 PKR 1,436

-21.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 293

$1.19 PKR 329

-10.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 112

$0.85 PKR 236

-51.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 176

$1.27 PKR 352

-50.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 130

$0.57 PKR 157

-17.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 87.4

$0.38 PKR 107

-15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 93.0

$0.49 PKR 135

-30.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.33 PKR 92.3

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.42 PKR 117

2.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.88 PKR 243

$15.90 PKR 4,406

-94.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 PKR 325

$1.18 PKR 327

-0.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 PKR 196

$2.44 PKR 677

-70.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.75 PKR 486

$1.94 PKR 539

-9.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.05

$0.19 PKR 53.2

-15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.66 PKR 2,677

$10.07 PKR 2,789

-4.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 PKR 179

$0.94 PKR 261

-30.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 PKR 43.27

$0.34 PKR 93.9

-52.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 195

$3.14 PKR 869

-77.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 PKR 330

$1.17 PKR 323

1.71%

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

$18.1K PKR 5.0M

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

2.71%

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

$25.4K PKR 7.0M

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

5.60%

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

$110 PKR 30.3K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-2.34%

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

$5.58 PKR 1,547

$5.76 PKR 1,594

-3.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.26 PKR 3,673

$18.29 PKR 5,067

-27.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.44 PKR 6,215

$11.83 PKR 3,278

89.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.51 PKR 972

$6.79 PKR 1,881

-48.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.51 PKR 971

$4.30 PKR 1,191

-18.37%

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

$49.28 PKR 13.7K

$48.80 PKR 13.5K

0.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,311 PKR 363.2K

$852 PKR 235.9K

53.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.42 PKR 4,273

$20.89 PKR 5,787

-26.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.20 PKR 6,149

$28.53 PKR 7,903

-22.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 PKR 18.7K

$93.5 PKR 25.9K

-27.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.72 PKR 10.5K

$35.66 PKR 9,879

5.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 36.8K

$201 PKR 55.7K

-34.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.2 PKR 21.1K

$82.3 PKR 22.8K

-7.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 PKR 85.9K

$430 PKR 119.1K

-27.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 PKR 58.9K

$226 PKR 62.6K

-5.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$761 PKR 210.9K

$1,149 PKR 318.2K

-33.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$517 PKR 143.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$159 PKR 44.0K

$173 PKR 48.0K

-8.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

22.81

-43.53%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: September 6, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $133 in Hyderabad versus $201 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 9% higher in Rawalpindi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Hyderabad versus $16.00 in Rawalpindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $84.0 vs $103 – 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

Rawalpindi costs about 16% more than Hyderabad, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $653 per month in Hyderabad and $755 in Rawalpindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hyderabad, 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 $11.00 in Hyderabad and $16.00 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 $436 in Hyderabad and $503 in Rawalpindi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $436 in Hyderabad and $503 in Rawalpindi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Hyderabad – 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 Hyderabad. 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.