Cost of Living Comparison Between Rahim Yar Khan and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Rahim Yar Khan and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $380 per month in Rahim Yar Khan vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $531 per month in Rahim Yar Khan vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $683 per month in Rahim Yar Khan vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Rahim Yar Khan is about 28% cheaper than Islamabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rahim Yar Khan and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Rahim Yar Khan 72% lower, Islamabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.76 PKR 489

$2.80 PKR 779

-37.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.74 PKR 2,430

$14.22 PKR 3,955

-38.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.36 PKR 934

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-38.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 481

$1.72 PKR 478

0.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 PKR 880

$4.00 PKR 1,112

-21.00%

Cappuccino

$0.84 PKR 233

$2.00 PKR 557

-58.00%

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

$0.24 PKR 67.2

$0.43 PKR 119

-44.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 PKR 44.39

$0.22 PKR 61.1

-27.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.94 PKR 260

-36.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 PKR 167

$0.62 PKR 173

-3.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 300

$1.21 PKR 338

-10.74%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 299

$1.20 PKR 335

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.22 PKR 1,175

$6.07 PKR 1,690

-30.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.20 PKR 611

$3.39 PKR 942

-35.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 868

$4.38 PKR 1,218

-28.77%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 241

$1.03 PKR 287

-15.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PKR 199

$0.78 PKR 216

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.93 PKR 260

-37.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.60 PKR 166

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.41 PKR 115

-9.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.54 PKR 149

-25.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 PKR 157

$0.34 PKR 93.3

64.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 PKR 79.8

$0.37 PKR 103

-21.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 PKR 495

$1.93 PKR 538

-7.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 PKR 446

$0.90 PKR 251

77.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 PKR 515

$1.99 PKR 553

-7.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 PKR 557

$2.14 PKR 596

-6.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 54.6

$0.19 PKR 52.2

5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,918

$6.90 PKR 1,921

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 PKR 299

$0.86 PKR 238

24.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.44 PKR 122

-6.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 PKR 382

$2.81 PKR 782

-51.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 PKR 259

$0.91 PKR 253

2.20%

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

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

5.64%

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

$21.8K PKR 6.1M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-16.57%

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

$104 PKR 29.1K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-6.50%

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

$3.25 PKR 903

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-40.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.99 PKR 3,892

$18.81 PKR 5,234

-25.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.07 PKR 3,914

$22.19 PKR 6,174

-36.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 PKR 1,663

$6.04 PKR 1,679

-0.99%

Cinema Ticket

$2.61 PKR 726

$4.21 PKR 1,171

-38.00%

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

$17.53 PKR 4,878

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

-70.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$886 PKR 246.4K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

-68.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.17 PKR 3,386

$21.57 PKR 5,999

-43.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.01 PKR 5,844

$27.63 PKR 7,686

-23.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.8 PKR 14.7K

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

-40.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.71 PKR 7,986

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

-28.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$81.1 PKR 22.6K

$198 PKR 55.1K

-59.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$62.5 PKR 17.4K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-44.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$110 PKR 30.7K

$513 PKR 142.6K

-78.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.8 PKR 26.4K

$296 PKR 82.3K

-67.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$975 PKR 271.2K

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

-37.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$510 PKR 141.8K

$657 PKR 182.9K

-22.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.43

20.2

-13.71%

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

Last update for Rahim Yar Khan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $81.1 in Rahim Yar Khan versus $198 in Islamabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Rahim Yar Khan versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $75.0 vs $98.0 – making Rahim Yar Khan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Rahim Yar Khan vs Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $569 per month in Rahim Yar Khan and $794 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rahim Yar Khan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Islamabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Rahim Yar Khan and $14.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $380 in Rahim Yar Khan and $529 in Islamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Rahim Yar Khan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Rahim Yar Khan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Islamabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.