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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $399 per month in Karak vs $437 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $580 per month in Karak vs $671 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $760 per month in Karak vs $905 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

Karak is about 9% cheaper than Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Karak and Rawalpindi are more affordable than the global median – Karak 70% lower, Rawalpindi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.69 PKR 192

$1.82 PKR 505

-62.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$6.88 PKR 1,909

$13.95 PKR 3,873

-50.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 PKR 1,514

$5.40 PKR 1,499

0.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 PKR 193

$1.56 PKR 433

-55.77%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$3.53 PKR 980

13.31%

Cappuccino

$0.51 PKR 142

$1.71 PKR 474

-70.18%

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

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.31 PKR 87.1

19.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.0

$0.23 PKR 63.9

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 PKR 280

$0.86 PKR 239

17.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 151

$0.53 PKR 146

1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 300

$1.30 PKR 361

-16.92%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 300

$1.12 PKR 312

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.72 PKR 478

$6.03 PKR 1,674

-71.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 PKR 767

$3.43 PKR 953

-19.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.28 PKR 1,189

$4.40 PKR 1,221

-2.73%

Apples (1kg)

$0.72 PKR 200

$1.01 PKR 280

-28.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.69 PKR 191

-26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.85 PKR 236

-14.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 164

$0.47 PKR 129

25.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.34 PKR 94.1

14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$0.52 PKR 145

3.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.19 PKR 52.6

$0.24 PKR 66.0

-20.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.2

$0.39 PKR 109

-38.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.42 PKR 393

$16.04 PKR 4,454

-91.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PKR 243

$0.99 PKR 274

-11.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

$2.40 PKR 666

-15.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 PKR 602

$1.91 PKR 531

13.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.0

$0.20 PKR 56.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.02 PKR 1,948

$9.52 PKR 2,645

-26.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 235

$0.86 PKR 240

-1.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.32 PKR 89.7

28.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 PKR 803

$2.92 PKR 811

-1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 267

$0.97 PKR 270

-1.03%

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

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

22.51%

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

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

16.98%

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

$111 PKR 30.8K

$104 PKR 28.8K

6.94%

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

$5.58 PKR 1,549

$4.04 PKR 1,121

38.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.84 PKR 5,232

$16.63 PKR 4,618

13.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.33 PKR 3,425

$9.97 PKR 2,768

23.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.91 PKR 1,640

$7.43 PKR 2,062

-20.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,169

$3.47 PKR 964

21.33%

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

$60.6 PKR 16.8K

$40.20 PKR 11.2K

50.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

$948 PKR 263.3K

17.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.53 PKR 5,979

$11.90 PKR 3,304

80.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.08 PKR 7,796

$18.45 PKR 5,124

52.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 PKR 24.6K

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

-1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 PKR 11.1K

$29.00 PKR 8,052

38.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

$133 PKR 36.8K

-43.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.1 PKR 14.5K

$65.1 PKR 18.1K

-20.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 PKR 46.2K

$330 PKR 91.6K

-49.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.2K

$171 PKR 47.4K

-38.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,009 PKR 280.1K

$1,176 PKR 326.5K

-14.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$434 PKR 120.5K

$518 PKR 143.8K

-16.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

20.17

0.15%

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

Last update for Karak: July 13, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $75.1 in Karak versus $133 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 $14.00 in Rawalpindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $74.0 vs $95.0 – 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 10% 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 $599 per month in Karak and $656 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 36% less in Karak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $60.6 per month in Karak and $40.20 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 $399 in Karak and $437 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.