Cost of Living Comparison Between Multan and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Multan and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $406 in Multan versus $437 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $615 in Multan versus $671 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $824 in Multan versus $905 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Multan costs roughly 7% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Multan 70% lower, Rawalpindi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 PKR 573

$1.82 PKR 504

13.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.62 PKR 2,390

$13.95 PKR 3,868

-38.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 PKR 1,430

$5.40 PKR 1,497

-4.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 486

$1.56 PKR 433

12.18%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 PKR 894

$3.53 PKR 979

-8.78%

Cappuccino

$1.43 PKR 397

$1.71 PKR 474

-16.37%

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

$0.30 PKR 84.2

$0.31 PKR 87.0

-3.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 55.5

$0.23 PKR 63.8

-13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.86 PKR 239

-31.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.53 PKR 146

5.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 290

$1.30 PKR 360

-19.23%

Eggs

$1.03 PKR 285

$1.12 PKR 311

-8.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.76 PKR 1,321

$6.03 PKR 1,672

-21.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 PKR 720

$3.43 PKR 952

-24.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.08 PKR 855

$4.40 PKR 1,220

-30.00%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 274

$1.01 PKR 279

-1.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 PKR 188

$0.69 PKR 191

-1.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$0.85 PKR 235

-32.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$0.47 PKR 129

4.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 105

$0.34 PKR 94.0

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.52 PKR 145

-23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 PKR 167

$0.24 PKR 65.9

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 98.6

$0.39 PKR 109

-7.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 PKR 502

$16.04 PKR 4,448

-88.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 PKR 435

$0.99 PKR 274

58.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 PKR 509

$2.40 PKR 665

-23.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 PKR 533

$1.91 PKR 531

0.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.1

$0.20 PKR 56.1

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 PKR 1,989

$9.52 PKR 2,641

-24.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 PKR 288

$0.86 PKR 239

20.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 PKR 85.1

$0.32 PKR 89.6

-3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 PKR 394

$2.92 PKR 810

-51.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 274

$0.97 PKR 270

2.06%

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

$22.2K PKR 6.2M

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

26.04%

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

$22.5K PKR 6.2M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

-1.09%

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

$105 PKR 29.0K

$104 PKR 28.8K

0.81%

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

$4.92 PKR 1,363

$4.04 PKR 1,120

21.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.89 PKR 3,852

$16.63 PKR 4,612

-16.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.04 PKR 5,002

$9.97 PKR 2,764

80.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.58 PKR 3,490

$7.43 PKR 2,060

69.31%

Cinema Ticket

$2.63 PKR 730

$3.47 PKR 962

-24.21%

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

$36.34 PKR 10.1K

$40.20 PKR 11.1K

-9.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,754 PKR 486.5K

$948 PKR 262.9K

85.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.64 PKR 4,616

$11.90 PKR 3,299

39.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.32 PKR 7,576

$18.45 PKR 5,118

48.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 PKR 19.5K

$89.5 PKR 24.8K

-21.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.67 PKR 8,228

$29.00 PKR 8,042

2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$86.9 PKR 24.1K

$133 PKR 36.8K

-34.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.5 PKR 16.0K

$65.1 PKR 18.1K

-11.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$175 PKR 48.5K

$330 PKR 91.5K

-47.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 PKR 34.7K

$171 PKR 47.4K

-26.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 PKR 326.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$518 PKR 143.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 PKR 50.7K

$175 PKR 48.4K

4.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.43

20.17

-13.58%

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

Last update for Multan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $86.9 in Multan and $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Multan pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Multan vs $14.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $79.0 vs $95.0 per month, with Multan 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

Multan vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Multan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Multan, 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: $86.9 in Multan versus $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.34 in Multan versus $40.20 in Rawalpindi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Rawalpindi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Multan 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 Multan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.