Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $484 in Lahore versus $437 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $727 in Lahore versus $671 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $970 in Lahore versus $905 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Lahore is roughly 11% more expensive than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 64% lower, Rawalpindi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 580

$1.82 PKR 505

14.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.06 PKR 3,903

$13.95 PKR 3,873

0.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.35 PKR 1,207

$5.40 PKR 1,499

-19.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PKR 765

$1.56 PKR 433

76.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 PKR 1,018

$3.53 PKR 980

3.68%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.71 PKR 474

39.77%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.7

$0.31 PKR 87.1

16.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.3

$0.23 PKR 63.9

-8.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.86 PKR 239

9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.53 PKR 146

7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.30 PKR 361

-6.92%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.12 PKR 312

8.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.18 PKR 1,717

$6.03 PKR 1,674

2.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 PKR 839

$3.43 PKR 954

-11.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.55 PKR 1,263

$4.40 PKR 1,221

3.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 293

$1.01 PKR 280

4.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.69 PKR 191

-8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 169

$0.85 PKR 236

-28.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.47 PKR 129

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.34 PKR 94.1

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 132

$0.52 PKR 145

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.24 PKR 66.0

95.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 98.3

$0.39 PKR 109

-10.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.11 PKR 308

$16.04 PKR 4,454

-93.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 PKR 143

$0.99 PKR 274

-48.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 306

$2.40 PKR 666

-54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 546

$1.91 PKR 532

3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 51.2

$0.20 PKR 56.1

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.92 PKR 1,922

$9.52 PKR 2,645

-27.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 202

$0.86 PKR 240

-15.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.32 PKR 89.7

53.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 PKR 501

$2.92 PKR 811

-38.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$0.97 PKR 270

-1.03%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

-0.90%

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

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

2.91%

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

$141 PKR 39.2K

$104 PKR 28.8K

36.16%

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

$5.31 PKR 1,473

$4.04 PKR 1,121

31.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 PKR 4,811

$16.63 PKR 4,618

4.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.73 PKR 3,813

$9.97 PKR 2,768

37.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 PKR 1,649

$7.43 PKR 2,062

-20.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,191

$3.47 PKR 964

23.63%

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

$34.60 PKR 9,608

$40.20 PKR 11.2K

-13.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,253 PKR 347.9K

$948 PKR 263.3K

32.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.40 PKR 4,276

$11.90 PKR 3,304

29.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.27 PKR 6,462

$18.45 PKR 5,124

26.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

-19.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.56 PKR 8,486

$29.00 PKR 8,053

5.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 PKR 33.3K

$133 PKR 36.8K

-9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

$65.1 PKR 18.1K

16.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 PKR 80.9K

$330 PKR 91.6K

-11.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.2K

$171 PKR 47.4K

10.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$844 PKR 234.5K

$1,176 PKR 326.5K

-28.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 PKR 163.7K

$518 PKR 143.8K

13.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.5K

$175 PKR 48.5K

6.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

20.17

-1.44%

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

Last update for Lahore: July 12, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $120 in Lahore and $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lahore pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Lahore vs $14.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $94.0 vs $95.0 per month, with Lahore cheaper across the board.

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

Lahore vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lahore and Rawalpindi differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($484 vs $437 including rent). Rawalpindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Lahore, 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: $120 in Lahore versus $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lahore pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Rawalpindi – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $14.00 in Lahore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Rawalpindi 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 Rawalpindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.