Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Rahim Yar Khan Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Rahim Yar Khan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Islamabad vs $380 in Rahim Yar Khan, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Islamabad vs $531 in Rahim Yar Khan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,141 per month in Islamabad vs $683 in Rahim Yar Khan, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 39% more than Rahim Yar Khan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Islamabad and Rahim Yar Khan are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 61% lower, Rahim Yar Khan 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$1.76 PKR 489

59.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,955

$8.74 PKR 2,430

62.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$3.36 PKR 934

61.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$1.73 PKR 481

-0.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$3.16 PKR 880

26.58%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$0.84 PKR 233

138.10%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.24 PKR 67.2

79.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.16 PKR 44.39

37.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.60 PKR 166

56.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.60 PKR 167

3.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.08 PKR 300

12.04%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.08 PKR 299

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,690

$4.22 PKR 1,175

43.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$2.20 PKR 611

54.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

$3.12 PKR 868

40.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$0.87 PKR 241

18.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.72 PKR 199

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.58 PKR 161

60.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.48 PKR 133

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.37 PKR 103

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.40 PKR 111

35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.56 PKR 157

-39.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.29 PKR 79.8

27.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 538

$1.78 PKR 495

8.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$1.60 PKR 446

-43.75%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 553

$1.85 PKR 515

7.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$2.00 PKR 557

7.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.20 PKR 54.6

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,921

$6.90 PKR 1,918

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 238

$1.07 PKR 299

-19.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.41 PKR 113

7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$1.37 PKR 382

105.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.93 PKR 259

-2.15%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

-5.34%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$21.8K PKR 6.1M

19.86%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$104 PKR 29.1K

6.95%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$3.25 PKR 903

67.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,234

$13.99 PKR 3,892

34.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,174

$14.07 PKR 3,914

57.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,679

$5.98 PKR 1,663

1.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

$2.61 PKR 726

61.30%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$17.53 PKR 4,878

243.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

$886 PKR 246.4K

216.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 5,999

$12.17 PKR 3,386

77.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,686

$21.01 PKR 5,844

31.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$52.8 PKR 14.7K

66.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$28.71 PKR 7,986

39.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$81.1 PKR 22.6K

144.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$62.5 PKR 17.4K

78.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.6K

$110 PKR 30.7K

364.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$94.8 PKR 26.4K

212.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

$975 PKR 271.2K

59.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

$510 PKR 141.8K

28.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

17.43

15.89%

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

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Last update for Rahim Yar Khan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Islamabad versus $81.1 in Rahim Yar Khan. 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 $14.00 in Islamabad versus $9.00 in Rahim Yar Khan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $98.0 vs $75.0 – making Rahim Yar Khan 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

Islamabad vs Rahim Yar Khan: 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 $794 per month in Islamabad and $569 in Rahim Yar Khan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $14.00 in Islamabad and $9.00 in Rahim Yar Khan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $529 in Islamabad and $380 in Rahim Yar Khan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Rahim Yar Khan – 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 Rahim Yar Khan. 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.