Cost of Living Comparison Between Karak and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Karak and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $428 per month in Karak vs $504 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $625 per month in Karak vs $786 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $822 per month in Karak vs $1,069 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

Karak is about 15% cheaper than Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Karak and Rawalpindi are more affordable than the global median – Karak 69% lower, Rawalpindi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.75 PKR 207

$2.12 PKR 588

-64.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.31 PKR 2,027

$15.93 PKR 4,416

-54.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 PKR 1,527

$5.89 PKR 1,633

-6.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.75 PKR 207

$1.81 PKR 502

-58.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 PKR 1,879

$3.52 PKR 976

92.61%

Cappuccino

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.94 PKR 538

-71.13%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.9

$0.44 PKR 122

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.7

$0.25 PKR 69.4

-12.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.90 PKR 250

4.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.55 PKR 152

3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 PKR 302

$1.23 PKR 342

-11.38%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.11 PKR 307

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.77 PKR 490

$6.16 PKR 1,708

-71.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 PKR 795

$3.57 PKR 988

-19.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,205

$5.22 PKR 1,446

-16.67%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$1.14 PKR 316

-39.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.86 PKR 237

-39.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 PKR 203

$1.23 PKR 340

-40.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.57 PKR 158

-15.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$0.36 PKR 99.3

-19.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 89.6

$0.46 PKR 127

-30.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.16 PKR 43.33

$0.33 PKR 92.1

-51.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 72.7

$0.40 PKR 111

-35.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 PKR 512

$16.28 PKR 4,515

-88.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 368

$1.20 PKR 332

10.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 676

$2.46 PKR 681

-0.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 PKR 638

$1.93 PKR 535

19.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.06

$0.16 PKR 43.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.59 PKR 2,383

$10.12 PKR 2,807

-15.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 PKR 355

$0.91 PKR 253

40.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.38 PKR 104

92.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 PKR 437

$3.16 PKR 876

-50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PKR 347

$1.13 PKR 312

10.62%

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

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

19.95%

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

$25.5K PKR 7.1M

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

2.28%

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

$103 PKR 28.5K

$115 PKR 31.9K

-10.45%

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

$5.81 PKR 1,611

$5.49 PKR 1,522

5.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.19 PKR 4,489

$18.67 PKR 5,175

-13.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.60 PKR 4,601

$12.12 PKR 3,361

36.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.75 PKR 1,872

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 PKR 1,326

$4.28 PKR 1,187

11.68%

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

$75.3 PKR 20.9K

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

55.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$996 PKR 276.1K

$844 PKR 234.0K

18.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.90 PKR 6,626

$20.85 PKR 5,780

14.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.81 PKR 8,819

$28.03 PKR 7,771

13.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 PKR 22.7K

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

-10.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.51 PKR 11.0K

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

8.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 35.9K

$204 PKR 56.7K

-36.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.3 PKR 23.4K

$82.0 PKR 22.7K

2.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 PKR 79.0K

$438 PKR 121.5K

-34.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 PKR 43.0K

$225 PKR 62.5K

-31.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$804 PKR 222.9K

$1,164 PKR 322.8K

-30.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$585 PKR 162.2K

$512 PKR 142.1K

14.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.4K

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 Karak: August 30, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $130 in Karak 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $7.00 in Karak versus $16.00 in Rawalpindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $74.0 vs $103 – making Karak 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

Karak vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi costs about 18% more than Karak, 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 $642 per month in Karak 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 Karak, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Karak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $75.3 per month in Karak and $48.47 in Rawalpindi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $428 in Karak and $504 in Rawalpindi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Karak – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Karak. 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.