Cost of Living Comparison Between Pondicherry and Multan Cost of Living Comparison Between Pondicherry and Multan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $386 in Pondicherry versus $414 in Multan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $572 in Pondicherry versus $613 in Multan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $759 in Pondicherry versus $812 in Multan.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Pondicherry 71% lower, Multan 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.76 ₹167

$2.18 PKR 606

-19.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.51 ₹906

$8.58 PKR 2,386

10.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 ₹391

$5.19 PKR 1,444

-20.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 PKR 891

Cappuccino

$1.76 ₹168

$1.43 PKR 398

23.08%

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

$0.40 ₹37.92

$0.28 PKR 77.0

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.07

$0.20 PKR 55.0

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₹97.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₹182

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 ₹48.22

$0.58 PKR 163

-12.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 ₹40.82

$0.60 PKR 168

-28.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.8

$1.04 PKR 290

-25.96%

Eggs

$0.89 ₹84.4

$1.08 PKR 300

-17.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.13 ₹394

$4.93 PKR 1,371

-16.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ₹270

$2.57 PKR 716

10.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.03 PKR 842

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 ₹183

$1.01 PKR 282

90.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 ₹81.7

$0.68 PKR 188

26.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ₹133

$0.58 PKR 160

139.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.21

$0.51 PKR 143

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 ₹29.99

$0.38 PKR 104

-18.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 ₹41.58

$0.43 PKR 119

2.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 ₹32.14

$0.57 PKR 157

-40.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹34.55

$0.36 PKR 99.4

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 PKR 515

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 PKR 428

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 PKR 539

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ₹378

$1.97 PKR 549

101.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.20 ₹877

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₹128

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ₹236

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.82 ₹650

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 ₹17.66

$0.17 PKR 47.97

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.14 ₹870

$7.26 PKR 2,019

25.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 ₹94.2

$1.03 PKR 286

-3.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ₹110

$1.38 PKR 384

-15.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₹110

$0.95 PKR 266

22.11%

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

$13.0K ₹1.2M

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

-42.15%

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

$22.9K ₹2.2M

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

4.28%

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

$31.03 ₹2,956

$103 PKR 28.6K

-69.83%

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

$3.84 ₹366

$4.84 PKR 1,348

-20.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.36 ₹701

$13.62 PKR 3,790

-45.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.07 ₹768

$17.96 PKR 4,997

-55.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.00 ₹381

$12.52 PKR 3,484

-68.05%

Cinema Ticket

$2.04 ₹194

$2.64 PKR 734

-22.73%

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

$41.51 ₹3,954

$36.00 PKR 10.0K

15.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,500 ₹142.8K

$1,755 PKR 488.3K

-14.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.04 ₹2,290

$16.34 PKR 4,547

47.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.38 ₹2,513

$27.87 PKR 7,752

-5.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.58 ₹4,627

$70.9 PKR 19.7K

-31.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.80 ₹3,411

$29.24 PKR 8,136

22.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 ₹22.4K

$85.3 PKR 23.7K

176.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.1 ₹8,771

$58.6 PKR 16.3K

57.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 ₹22.9K

$178 PKR 49.4K

35.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 ₹14.6K

$126 PKR 34.9K

21.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$985 ₹93.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$335 ₹31.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$294 ₹28.0K

$180 PKR 50.0K

63.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

17.43

-52.67%

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

Last update for Pondicherry: May 31, 2026

Last update for Multan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $236 in Pondicherry and $85.3 in Multan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pondicherry pays 64% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $10.00 in Pondicherry vs $9.00 in Multan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $103 vs $80.0 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

Pondicherry vs Multan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pondicherry is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Pondicherry pays 64% 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: $236 in Pondicherry versus $85.3 in Multan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $41.51 in Pondicherry versus $36.00 in Multan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Multan pay roughly 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Pondicherry gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Pondicherry is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Multan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Pondicherry and Multan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Pondicherry gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Multan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.