Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Peshawar and Rawalpindi

For one person, living is cheaper in Peshawar: $437 a month against $498 in Rawalpindi, rent and utilities included – about $730 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Peshawar
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Peshawar Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Rawalpindi
Learn more

Rawalpindi Living Index

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Peshawar

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$437

/mo nomad

Rawalpindi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$498

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Peshawar and in Rawalpindi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Peshawar and in Rawalpindi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $437 in Peshawar versus $498 in Rawalpindi.

Peshawar $437
Rawalpindi $498

Estimated couple costs with rent: $629 in Peshawar versus $784 in Rawalpindi.

Peshawar $629
Rawalpindi $784

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $821 in Peshawar versus $1,070 in Rawalpindi.

Peshawar $821
Rawalpindi $1,070

Living in Peshawar costs roughly 12% less than in Rawalpindi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Peshawar 68% lower, Rawalpindi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 PKR 663

$2.04 PKR 565

17.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.79 PKR 2,432

$16.20 PKR 4,484

-45.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 PKR 1,460

$5.79 PKR 1,602

-8.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 607

$1.78 PKR 492

23.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 PKR 814

$3.47 PKR 962

-15.27%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PKR 722

$1.94 PKR 537

34.54%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.44 PKR 121

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 55.2

$0.23 PKR 63.3

-13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 270

$0.90 PKR 249

8.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 PKR 212

$0.59 PKR 162

28.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 292

$1.22 PKR 337

-13.93%

Eggs

$1.06 PKR 294

$1.14 PKR 316

-7.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.51 PKR 972

$6.38 PKR 1,765

-44.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 PKR 840

$3.38 PKR 935

-10.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.80 PKR 1,051

$5.22 PKR 1,446

-27.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 327

$1.14 PKR 316

3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.89 PKR 245

-38.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 161

$1.22 PKR 337

-52.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.56 PKR 156

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 80.3

$0.35 PKR 97.7

-17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.4

$0.46 PKR 127

-28.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 77.1

$0.33 PKR 91.5

-15.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 PKR 75.1

$0.42 PKR 117

-35.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.02 PKR 558

$16.44 PKR 4,551

-87.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PKR 196

$1.21 PKR 335

-41.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PKR 205

$2.45 PKR 677

-69.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 PKR 492

$1.98 PKR 548

-10.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 PKR 63.8

$0.17 PKR 46.63

35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.53 PKR 3,467

$10.08 PKR 2,791

24.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 PKR 295

$0.88 PKR 244

20.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 190

$0.35 PKR 95.8

97.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 PKR 405

$3.09 PKR 856

-52.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.23 PKR 341

-1.63%

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

$22.2K PKR 6.1M

$18.7K PKR 5.2M

18.44%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.6M

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

-2.13%

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

$100 PKR 27.8K

$115 PKR 31.8K

-12.53%

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

$6.11 PKR 1,691

$5.74 PKR 1,590

6.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.22 PKR 3,935

$18.80 PKR 5,204

-24.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.46 PKR 4,280

$12.17 PKR 3,369

27.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.15 PKR 1,701

$7.40 PKR 2,048

-16.89%

Cinema Ticket

$2.01 PKR 557

$4.38 PKR 1,211

-54.11%

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

$46.31 PKR 12.8K

$49.65 PKR 13.7K

-6.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,106 PKR 1.4M

$1,044 PKR 288.9K

389.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.09 PKR 1,962

$17.65 PKR 4,886

-59.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.28 PKR 4,507

$32.02 PKR 8,862

-49.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.87 PKR 13.8K

$93.4 PKR 25.9K

-46.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.01 PKR 11.1K

$35.64 PKR 9,863

12.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 PKR 35.2K

$204 PKR 56.5K

-37.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.2 PKR 21.1K

$81.6 PKR 22.6K

-6.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 PKR 55.8K

$418 PKR 115.6K

-51.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.7K

$222 PKR 61.5K

-46.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,197 PKR 331.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$451 PKR 124.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$147 PKR 40.6K

$173 PKR 47.8K

-15.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

-51.78%

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

Last update for Peshawar: October 13, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Peshawar

$121 27.6%

Rawalpindi

$139 28% 15.4% $19

Groceries & Markets

Peshawar

$83 19.1%

Rawalpindi

$103 20.7% 23.8% $20

Accommodation & Living

Peshawar

$76 17.4%

Rawalpindi

$82 16.4% 7.2% $5.5

Eating Out

Peshawar

$69 15.7%

Rawalpindi

$60 12% 12.9% $8.9

Clothing & Footwear

Peshawar

$51 11.7%

Rawalpindi

$80 16.1% 57.8% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Peshawar

$19 4.5%

Rawalpindi

$21 4.2% 7.3% $1.4

Getting Around

Peshawar

$18 4.1%

Rawalpindi

$13 2.7% 25.5% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Peshawar and $204 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rawalpindi pays 18% 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: $9.00 in Peshawar vs $16.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $83.0 vs $103 per month, with Peshawar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Peshawar

🇵🇰 Rawalpindi

🕒 Local time

22:16 10:16 PM

Same time as Peshawar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,970,042

2,098,231

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Peshawar vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Peshawar wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Rawalpindi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Peshawar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Rawalpindi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $127 in Peshawar versus $204 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $437 per month in Peshawar versus $498 in Rawalpindi – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Peshawar runs roughly 24% less than in Rawalpindi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Peshawar 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 Peshawar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.