Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Rawalpindi

For one person, living costs are similar in Karachi and in Rawalpindi: $482 and $498 a month, rent and utilities included.

23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Rawalpindi
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Rawalpindi Living Index

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Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$482

/mo nomad

Rawalpindi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$498

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $482 in Karachi versus $498 in Rawalpindi.

Karachi $482
Rawalpindi $498

Estimated couple costs with rent: $750 in Karachi versus $784 in Rawalpindi.

Karachi $750
Rawalpindi $784

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,018 in Karachi versus $1,070 in Rawalpindi.

Karachi $1,018
Rawalpindi $1,070

Living in Karachi costs roughly 3% less than in Rawalpindi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 64% lower, Rawalpindi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 588

$2.04 PKR 565

4.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.30 PKR 3,680

$16.20 PKR 4,484

-17.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 PKR 1,508

$5.79 PKR 1,602

-5.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 607

$1.78 PKR 492

23.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 PKR 2,005

$3.47 PKR 962

108.65%

Cappuccino

$2.09 PKR 579

$1.94 PKR 537

7.73%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.44 PKR 121

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 71.1

$0.23 PKR 63.3

13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 254

$0.90 PKR 249

2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.59 PKR 162

-5.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 PKR 345

$1.22 PKR 337

2.46%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 341

$1.14 PKR 316

7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.67 PKR 1,570

$6.38 PKR 1,765

-11.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 PKR 876

$3.38 PKR 935

-6.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.28 PKR 1,737

$5.22 PKR 1,446

20.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 348

$1.14 PKR 316

10.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 148

$0.89 PKR 245

-40.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 276

$1.22 PKR 337

-18.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 154

$0.56 PKR 156

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.4

$0.35 PKR 97.7

-5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 95.1

$0.46 PKR 127

-26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 PKR 116

$0.33 PKR 91.5

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.42 PKR 117

4.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 346

$16.44 PKR 4,551

-92.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 365

$1.21 PKR 335

9.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PKR 670

$2.45 PKR 677

-1.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.84 PKR 509

$1.98 PKR 548

-7.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 77.0

$0.17 PKR 46.63

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,764

$10.08 PKR 2,791

-0.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 256

$0.88 PKR 244

4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 193

$0.35 PKR 95.8

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 PKR 597

$3.09 PKR 856

-30.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 PKR 382

$1.23 PKR 341

12.20%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$18.7K PKR 5.2M

-4.35%

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

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

10.53%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$115 PKR 31.8K

-1.12%

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

$5.95 PKR 1,648

$5.74 PKR 1,590

3.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.16 PKR 3,642

$18.80 PKR 5,204

-30.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.55 PKR 5,965

$12.17 PKR 3,369

77.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.23 PKR 5,044

$7.40 PKR 2,048

146.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,165

$4.38 PKR 1,211

-3.88%

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

$52.2 PKR 14.4K

$49.65 PKR 13.7K

5.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,940 PKR 537.0K

$1,044 PKR 288.9K

85.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.55 PKR 4,858

$17.65 PKR 4,886

-0.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.51 PKR 6,506

$32.02 PKR 8,862

-26.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 PKR 19.1K

$93.4 PKR 25.9K

-26.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.59 PKR 11.2K

$35.64 PKR 9,863

13.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.7K

$204 PKR 56.5K

-42.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

$81.6 PKR 22.6K

-9.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 PKR 98.9K

$418 PKR 115.6K

-14.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.0K

$222 PKR 61.5K

-15.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,060 PKR 293.4K

$1,197 PKR 331.2K

-11.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$481 PKR 133.1K

$451 PKR 124.8K

6.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 PKR 50.6K

$173 PKR 47.8K

5.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

22.81

-42.09%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karachi

$133 27.5%

Rawalpindi

$139 28% 5.1% $6.7

Groceries & Markets

Karachi

$101 21%

Rawalpindi

$103 20.7% 1.8% $1.8

Accommodation & Living

Karachi

$74 15.3%

Rawalpindi

$82 16.4% 10.9% $8

Clothing & Footwear

Karachi

$68 14.1%

Rawalpindi

$80 16.1% 18.8% $13

Eating Out

Karachi

$61 12.7%

Rawalpindi

$60 12% 2.4% $1.4

Sport & Entertainment

Karachi

$30 6.2%

Rawalpindi

$21 4.2% 30.2% $9

Getting Around

Karachi

$16 3.2%

Rawalpindi

$13 2.7% 13.9% $2.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Karachi and $204 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karachi pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $13.00 in Karachi vs $16.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $103 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Karachi

🇵🇰 Rawalpindi

🕒 Local time

20:49 8:49 PM

Same time as Karachi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,910,352

2,098,231

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Karachi Rawalpindi 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Karachi
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

Karachi vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi and Rawalpindi differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($482 vs $498 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Karachi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $118 in Karachi versus $204 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $482 per month in Karachi versus $498 in Rawalpindi – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 1% less than in Rawalpindi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Karachi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.