😐A single person spends $495 per month in Rawalpindi vs $359 in Akola, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $781 per month in Rawalpindi vs $553 in Akola, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,067 per month in Rawalpindi vs $747 in Akola, rent included.
😐Rawalpindi costs about 38% more than Akola, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Rawalpindi and Akola are more affordable than the global median – Rawalpindi64% lower, Akola74% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rawalpindi
Akola
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.05PKR 569
$0.91₹87.5
125.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.07PKR 4,452
$6.25₹600
157.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.84PKR 1,617
$3.11₹298
87.78%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.76PKR 487
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50PKR 971
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.98PKR 549
$1.36₹131
45.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44PKR 121
$0.41₹39.12
7.32%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25PKR 69.4
$0.14₹13.84
78.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.67₹160
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.69₹258
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rawalpindi
Akola
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.91PKR 251
$0.68₹65.1
33.82%
White Bread(500g)
$0.54PKR 151
$0.44₹42.29
22.73%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.23PKR 340
$0.50₹48.10
146.00%
Eggs
$1.11PKR 308
$0.73₹70.4
52.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.32PKR 1,752
$4.91₹471
28.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.57PKR 990
$2.15₹206
66.05%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.05PKR 1,398
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.20PKR 331
$1.83₹176
-34.43%
Banana(1kg)
$0.84PKR 232
$0.59₹57.0
42.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.22PKR 338
$0.95₹91.5
28.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.53PKR 146
$0.47₹45.13
12.77%
Potato(1kg)
$0.36PKR 99.5
$0.32₹30.52
12.50%
Onion(1kg)
$0.45PKR 124
$0.29₹28.30
55.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.31PKR 84.9
$0.52₹49.60
-40.38%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43PKR 118
$0.30₹29.14
43.33%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$16.09PKR 4,458
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14PKR 316
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37PKR 657
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.93PKR 535
$2.15₹206
-10.23%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$4.05₹389
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.86₹178
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.18₹305
-
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$2.03₹195
-
🚌 Getting Around
Rawalpindi
Akola
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.18PKR 50.5
$0.25₹23.75
-28.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.99PKR 2,767
$7.29₹700
37.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.93PKR 258
$0.54₹51.8
72.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35PKR 96.1
$0.32₹31.08
9.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.11PKR 861
$1.05₹101
196.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.13PKR 313
$1.09₹105
3.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KPKR 5.0M
$15.4K₹1.5M
15.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.1KPKR 6.7M
$17.6K₹1.7M
37.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rawalpindi
Akola
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$113PKR 31.2K
$35.89₹3,443
214.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.55PKR 1,537
$4.03₹386
37.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.88PKR 5,229
$8.25₹791
128.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rawalpindi
Akola
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$12.11PKR 3,354
$13.93₹1,337
-13.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.81PKR 1,886
$6.55₹629
3.97%
Cinema Ticket
$4.26PKR 1,179
$2.15₹206
98.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rawalpindi
Akola
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$48.70PKR 13.5K
$38.66₹3,709
25.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$833PKR 230.8K
$1,781₹170.9K
-53.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rawalpindi
Akola
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.41PKR 5,653
$23.56₹2,260
-13.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.85PKR 7,993
$37.63₹3,610
-23.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.7PKR 26.0K
$53.5₹5,134
75.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.19PKR 10.0K
$35.67₹3,422
1.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rawalpindi
Akola
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$201PKR 55.6K
$122₹11.7K
63.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$83.0PKR 23.0K
$72.8₹6,989
14.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$428PKR 118.6K
$268₹25.7K
59.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$226PKR 62.6K
$172₹16.5K
31.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,170PKR 324.1K
$978₹93.8K
19.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$507PKR 140.5K
$506₹48.6K
0.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rawalpindi
Akola
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$173PKR 48.0K
$307₹29.5K
-43.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
22.81
9.7
135.15%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rawalpindi: September 14, 2026
Last update for Akola: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $201 in Rawalpindi versus $122 in Akola. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 77% higher in Akola, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Rawalpindi versus $6.00 in Akola. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $92.0 – making Akola 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
Rawalpindi vs Akola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Akola cheaper than Rawalpindi?
Yes – Rawalpindi is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $742 per month in Rawalpindi and $539 in Akola. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Akola, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Rawalpindi and in Akola?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $495 in Rawalpindi and $359 in Akola. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 37% less in Akola. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 enough for either Rawalpindi or Akola?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $495 in Rawalpindi and $359 in Akola, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Rawalpindi or Akola more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Akola – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Akola. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rawalpindi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Rawalpindi vs other spots: cost of living compared