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: $383 in Pondicherry versus $406 in Multan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $568 in Pondicherry versus $615 in Multan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $754 in Pondicherry versus $824 in Multan.

Living in Pondicherry costs roughly 6% less than in Multan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pondicherry 71% lower, Multan 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 ₹165

$2.07 PKR 573

-16.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.53 ₹917

$8.62 PKR 2,390

10.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 ₹385

$5.16 PKR 1,430

-22.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 486

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 PKR 894

Cappuccino

$1.73 ₹167

$1.43 PKR 397

20.98%

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

$0.39 ₹37.96

$0.30 PKR 84.2

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.76

$0.20 PKR 55.5

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₹103

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₹187

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 ₹52.7

$0.59 PKR 163

-6.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ₹45.34

$0.56 PKR 156

-16.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 ₹68.8

$1.05 PKR 290

-32.38%

Eggs

$0.82 ₹79.0

$1.03 PKR 285

-20.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.96 ₹381

$4.76 PKR 1,321

-16.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.86 ₹275

$2.60 PKR 720

10.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.08 PKR 855

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 ₹188

$0.99 PKR 274

97.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹76.6

$0.68 PKR 188

17.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 ₹129

$0.57 PKR 159

135.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.64

$0.49 PKR 136

4.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 ₹30.24

$0.38 PKR 105

-18.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ₹41.58

$0.40 PKR 110

7.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 ₹32.28

$0.60 PKR 167

-43.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹35.11

$0.36 PKR 98.6

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 PKR 502

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 PKR 435

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 PKR 509

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 ₹375

$1.92 PKR 533

102.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.16 ₹786

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₹129

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 ₹251

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

$6.69 ₹644

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 ₹18.32

$0.19 PKR 52.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 ₹907

$7.17 PKR 1,989

31.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ₹89.3

$1.04 PKR 288

-10.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 PKR 85.1

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ₹112

$1.42 PKR 394

-18.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹115

$0.99 PKR 274

20.20%

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

$12.9K ₹1.2M

$22.2K PKR 6.2M

-42.14%

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

$22.3K ₹2.1M

$22.5K PKR 6.2M

-0.96%

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

$31.36 ₹3,020

$105 PKR 29.0K

-70.00%

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

$3.89 ₹374

$4.92 PKR 1,363

-20.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.41 ₹713

$13.89 PKR 3,852

-46.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.03 ₹773

$18.04 PKR 5,002

-55.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.02 ₹387

$12.58 PKR 3,490

-68.04%

Cinema Ticket

$2.04 ₹196

$2.63 PKR 730

-22.43%

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

$41.38 ₹3,984

$36.34 PKR 10.1K

13.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,529 ₹147.2K

$1,754 PKR 486.5K

-12.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.79 ₹2,291

$16.64 PKR 4,616

42.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.78 ₹2,482

$27.32 PKR 7,576

-5.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.56 ₹4,675

$70.2 PKR 19.5K

-30.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.26 ₹3,491

$29.67 PKR 8,228

22.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 ₹22.9K

$86.9 PKR 24.1K

173.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.9 ₹8,943

$57.5 PKR 16.0K

61.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 ₹22.4K

$175 PKR 48.5K

33.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 ₹14.9K

$125 PKR 34.7K

23.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$965 ₹92.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$342 ₹32.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 ₹27.7K

$183 PKR 50.7K

57.18%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Multan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $238 in Pondicherry and $86.9 in Multan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pondicherry pays 57% 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 $101 vs $79.0 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Pondicherry, 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: $238 in Pondicherry versus $86.9 in Multan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $41.38 in Pondicherry versus $36.34 in Multan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Multan pay roughly 28% 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 6% less than in Multan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.