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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $407 per month in Karak vs $429 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $583 per month in Karak vs $679 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $759 per month in Karak vs $929 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

Karak is about 5% cheaper than Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Karak and Rawalpindi are more affordable than the global median – Karak 70% lower, Rawalpindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.74 PKR 205

$1.78 PKR 496

-58.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.00 PKR 1,948

$14.22 PKR 3,957

-50.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 PKR 1,467

$5.29 PKR 1,470

-0.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 PKR 189

$1.54 PKR 429

-55.84%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$3.40 PKR 947

17.65%

Cappuccino

$0.51 PKR 141

$1.73 PKR 481

-70.52%

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

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.32 PKR 88.9

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.9

$0.23 PKR 64.2

4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 PKR 277

$0.79 PKR 219

26.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.57 PKR 158

-10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 288

$1.23 PKR 343

-15.45%

Eggs

$1.09 PKR 303

$1.12 PKR 311

-2.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.81 PKR 503

$6.09 PKR 1,693

-70.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.82 PKR 784

$3.39 PKR 944

-16.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.29 PKR 1,194

$4.57 PKR 1,271

-6.13%

Apples (1kg)

$0.72 PKR 201

$1.02 PKR 283

-29.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.67 PKR 186

-17.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 PKR 202

$0.92 PKR 257

-21.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$0.47 PKR 132

17.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.33 PKR 93.2

15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.52 PKR 144

9.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.17 PKR 46.89

$0.26 PKR 72.7

-34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.6

$0.37 PKR 102

-35.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.34 PKR 373

$16.44 PKR 4,573

-91.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PKR 253

$1.04 PKR 288

-12.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 PKR 552

$2.41 PKR 669

-17.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$1.90 PKR 528

12.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.76

$0.18 PKR 49.36

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.23 PKR 2,010

$9.89 PKR 2,751

-26.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 240

$0.91 PKR 253

-5.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.35 PKR 97.5

25.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 PKR 791

$2.97 PKR 826

-4.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 269

$0.96 PKR 267

1.04%

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

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

20.02%

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

$26.4K PKR 7.4M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

16.13%

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

$113 PKR 31.6K

$100 PKR 28.0K

12.94%

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

$5.36 PKR 1,491

$3.99 PKR 1,111

34.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.48 PKR 5,141

$16.64 PKR 4,630

11.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.19 PKR 3,391

$10.14 PKR 2,821

20.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 PKR 1,684

$7.67 PKR 2,135

-21.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 PKR 1,174

$3.60 PKR 1,003

17.22%

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

$59.1 PKR 16.5K

$39.75 PKR 11.1K

48.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,129 PKR 314.1K

$962 PKR 267.6K

17.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 6,001

$11.80 PKR 3,282

82.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.73 PKR 7,714

$18.84 PKR 5,242

47.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 PKR 25.1K

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

2.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.80 PKR 11.4K

$28.38 PKR 7,896

43.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

$130 PKR 36.1K

-43.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

-22.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.5K

$324 PKR 90.1K

-48.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 PKR 29.1K

$173 PKR 48.1K

-39.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,127 PKR 313.5K

$1,173 PKR 326.4K

-3.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$580 PKR 161.3K

$516 PKR 143.6K

12.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 PKR 47.6K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $73.7 in Karak versus $130 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 5% 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 $610 per month in Karak and $644 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 37% less in Karak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $59.1 per month in Karak and $39.75 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 $407 in Karak and $429 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.