Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Rawalpindi: $491 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $26,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Rawalpindi
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Rawalpindi Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Rawalpindi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$491

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rawalpindi and in Austin, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $491 in Rawalpindi versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Rawalpindi $491
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $776 in Rawalpindi versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Rawalpindi $776
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,060 in Rawalpindi versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Rawalpindi $1,060
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 82% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rawalpindi is 63% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 PKR 561

$20.22 $20.22

-89.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.03 PKR 4,436

$85.0 $85.0

-81.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 PKR 1,612

$12.35 $12.35

-52.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 PKR 511

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 PKR 927

Cappuccino

$1.95 PKR 539

$5.47 $5.47

-64.35%

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

$0.44 PKR 121

$3.82 $3.82

-88.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.6

$2.50 $2.50

-90.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.13 $1.13

-25.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 155

$3.78 $3.78

-85.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 343

$3.25 $3.25

-61.85%

Eggs

$1.14 PKR 316

$4.14 $4.14

-72.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.38 PKR 1,764

$13.08 $13.08

-51.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 PKR 977

$14.31 $14.31

-75.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 PKR 1,370

$15.96 $15.96

-68.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 PKR 320

$4.38 $4.38

-73.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 242

$1.45 $1.45

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 343

$4.54 $4.54

-72.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$4.19 $4.19

-87.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 105

$2.63 $2.63

-85.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 127

$2.36 $2.36

-80.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$1.76 $1.76

-81.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 108

$2.16 $2.16

-81.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.10 PKR 4,456

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 PKR 334

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PKR 670

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.03 PKR 562

$9.81 $9.81

-79.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.7

$1.49 $1.49

-86.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.05 PKR 2,781

$40.51 $40.51

-75.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 PKR 259

$2.67 $2.67

-64.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 PKR 104

$1.58 $1.58

-76.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 PKR 870

$35.29 $35.29

-91.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 PKR 329

$0.99 $0.99

20.20%

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

$18.9K PKR 5.2M

$35.8K $35.8K

-47.23%

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

$24.3K PKR 6.7M

$27.2K $27.2K

-10.75%

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

$111 PKR 30.7K

$219 $219

-49.35%

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

$5.70 PKR 1,577

$58.0 $58.0

-90.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 PKR 5,097

$68.4 $68.4

-73.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.76 PKR 3,256

$57.9 $57.9

-79.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 PKR 2,011

$14.82 $14.82

-50.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 PKR 1,219

$14.13 $14.13

-68.86%

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

$48.86 PKR 13.5K

$1,509 $1,509

-96.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,033 PKR 285.8K

$21.5K $21.5K

-95.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.34 PKR 4,798

$51.7 $51.7

-66.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.45 PKR 8,981

$44.05 $44.05

-26.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 PKR 25.3K

$85.1 $85.1

7.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.83 PKR 10.2K

$105 $105

-65.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 PKR 54.7K

$1,932 $1,932

-89.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.2 PKR 22.7K

$1,272 $1,272

-93.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$410 PKR 113.4K

$3,670 $3,670

-88.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 PKR 63.8K

$2,525 $2,525

-90.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,196 PKR 331.1K

$7,617 $7,617

-84.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$454 PKR 125.6K

$3,199 $3,199

-85.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 PKR 49.0K

$5,105 $5,105

-96.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

6.79

235.94%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: October 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rawalpindi

$135 27.4%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 156% $210

Groceries & Markets

Rawalpindi

$102 20.7%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 295% $301

Accommodation & Living

Rawalpindi

$82 16.7%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 1448% $1.2K

Clothing & Footwear

Rawalpindi

$80 16.2%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 60.6% $49

Eating Out

Rawalpindi

$60 12.1%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 482% $288

Sport & Entertainment

Rawalpindi

$21 4.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 319% $66

Getting Around

Rawalpindi

$14 2.8%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 317% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $197 in Rawalpindi and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 2782% 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: $16.00 in Rawalpindi vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $102 vs $403 per month, with Rawalpindi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Rawalpindi

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

16:26 4:26 PM

06:26 6:26 AM

10 h behind Rawalpindi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,098,231

974,447

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 310 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Rawalpindi Austin, TX 12,850 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Rawalpindi
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi wins on cost – living expenses run 451% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rawalpindi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2782% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $197 in Rawalpindi versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $491 per month in Rawalpindi versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 451% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rawalpindi runs roughly 303% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $491 in Rawalpindi versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rawalpindi but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Rawalpindi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Rawalpindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 451% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.