Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Islamabad vs $504 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $918 per month in Islamabad vs $786 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,246 per month in Islamabad vs $1,069 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 17% more than Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Islamabad and Rawalpindi are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 57% lower, Rawalpindi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 990

$2.12 PKR 588

68.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 PKR 6,309

$15.93 PKR 4,419

42.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PKR 1,517

$5.89 PKR 1,634

-7.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 986

$1.81 PKR 502

96.13%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,862

$3.52 PKR 977

90.63%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.94 PKR 538

23.20%

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

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.44 PKR 122

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$0.25 PKR 69.4

-12.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 275

$0.90 PKR 250

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 220

$0.55 PKR 152

43.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 354

$1.23 PKR 342

4.07%

Eggs

$1.28 PKR 356

$1.11 PKR 307

15.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,695

$6.16 PKR 1,710

-0.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 PKR 849

$3.57 PKR 989

-14.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 PKR 1,421

$5.22 PKR 1,447

-1.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.14 PKR 316

17.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.86 PKR 237

-2.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$1.23 PKR 340

-17.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.57 PKR 158

-14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.2

$0.36 PKR 99.4

-19.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$0.46 PKR 127

-28.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 PKR 80.8

$0.33 PKR 92.2

-12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.40 PKR 111

-5.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

$16.28 PKR 4,518

-88.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

$1.20 PKR 332

15.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 652

$2.46 PKR 682

-4.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 PKR 632

$1.93 PKR 535

18.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.31

$0.16 PKR 43.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PKR 5,889

$10.12 PKR 2,808

109.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 PKR 353

$0.91 PKR 254

39.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 191

$0.38 PKR 104

81.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 459

$3.16 PKR 877

-47.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 365

$1.13 PKR 312

16.81%

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

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

195.94%

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

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

0.52%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$115 PKR 31.9K

-11.21%

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

$5.83 PKR 1,618

$5.49 PKR 1,523

6.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.34 PKR 4,534

$18.67 PKR 5,178

-12.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.09 PKR 8,071

$12.12 PKR 3,363

140.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 PKR 2,478

$6.75 PKR 1,873

32.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 PKR 1,390

$4.28 PKR 1,188

17.06%

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

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

54.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$844 PKR 234.1K

502.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.55 PKR 6,532

$20.85 PKR 5,784

12.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 PKR 9,066

$28.03 PKR 7,775

16.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

-8.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

8.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.8K

$204 PKR 56.7K

35.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 PKR 40.0K

$82.0 PKR 22.8K

75.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 PKR 160.1K

$438 PKR 121.6K

31.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 PKR 73.9K

$225 PKR 62.5K

18.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

$1,164 PKR 323.0K

40.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$829 PKR 230.1K

$512 PKR 142.1K

61.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 PKR 105.8K

$175 PKR 48.4K

118.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

22.81

-42.66%

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

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Islamabad 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 118% higher in Islamabad, 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $16.00 in Rawalpindi. Groceries tell a different story – $103 in Islamabad vs $103 in Rawalpindi – so Islamabad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $884 per month in Islamabad and $756 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.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 $23.00 in Islamabad and $16.00 in Rawalpindi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $589 in Islamabad and $504 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, Islamabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.