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: $414 in Multan versus $429 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $613 in Multan versus $679 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $812 in Multan versus $929 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Multan costs roughly 4% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Multan 69% lower, Rawalpindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 PKR 606

$1.78 PKR 496

22.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.58 PKR 2,386

$14.22 PKR 3,957

-39.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 PKR 1,443

$5.29 PKR 1,470

-1.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$1.54 PKR 429

11.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 PKR 891

$3.40 PKR 947

-5.88%

Cappuccino

$1.43 PKR 398

$1.73 PKR 481

-17.34%

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

$0.28 PKR 77.0

$0.32 PKR 88.9

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 54.9

$0.23 PKR 64.2

-13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 PKR 163

$0.79 PKR 219

-26.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 PKR 168

$0.57 PKR 158

5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 290

$1.23 PKR 343

-15.45%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 300

$1.12 PKR 311

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.93 PKR 1,371

$6.09 PKR 1,693

-19.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 PKR 716

$3.39 PKR 944

-24.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.03 PKR 842

$4.57 PKR 1,271

-33.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 PKR 282

$1.02 PKR 283

-0.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 PKR 188

$0.67 PKR 186

1.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 160

$0.92 PKR 257

-36.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 143

$0.47 PKR 132

8.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.33 PKR 93.2

15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.52 PKR 144

-17.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.26 PKR 72.7

119.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 99.4

$0.37 PKR 102

-2.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 PKR 515

$16.44 PKR 4,573

-88.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 PKR 428

$1.04 PKR 288

48.08%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 PKR 539

$2.41 PKR 669

-19.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 549

$1.90 PKR 528

3.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 47.97

$0.18 PKR 49.36

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.26 PKR 2,019

$9.89 PKR 2,751

-26.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 PKR 286

$0.91 PKR 253

13.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.35 PKR 97.5

-11.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 PKR 384

$2.97 PKR 826

-53.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 266

$0.96 PKR 267

-1.04%

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

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

24.57%

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

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

-3.68%

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

$103 PKR 28.6K

$100 PKR 28.0K

2.36%

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

$4.84 PKR 1,347

$3.99 PKR 1,111

21.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.62 PKR 3,790

$16.64 PKR 4,630

-18.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.96 PKR 4,997

$10.14 PKR 2,821

77.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.52 PKR 3,484

$7.67 PKR 2,134

63.23%

Cinema Ticket

$2.64 PKR 734

$3.60 PKR 1,003

-26.67%

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

$36.00 PKR 10.0K

$39.75 PKR 11.1K

-9.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,755 PKR 488.2K

$962 PKR 267.6K

82.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.34 PKR 4,547

$11.80 PKR 3,282

38.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.87 PKR 7,752

$18.84 PKR 5,242

47.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 PKR 19.7K

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

-19.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.24 PKR 8,135

$28.38 PKR 7,896

3.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.3 PKR 23.7K

$130 PKR 36.1K

-34.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.6 PKR 16.3K

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

-11.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 PKR 49.4K

$324 PKR 90.1K

-45.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 PKR 34.9K

$173 PKR 48.1K

-27.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,173 PKR 326.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$516 PKR 143.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$180 PKR 50.0K

$171 PKR 47.6K

5.02%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $85.3 in Multan and $130 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 $80.0 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Multan pays 5% more on average, 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: $85.3 in Multan versus $130 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.00 in Multan versus $39.75 in Rawalpindi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% 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 4% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.