Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Bahawalnagar Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Bahawalnagar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $431 in Rawalpindi versus $450 in Bahawalnagar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $665 in Rawalpindi versus $657 in Bahawalnagar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $899 in Rawalpindi versus $865 in Bahawalnagar.

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 4% less than in Bahawalnagar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 68% lower, Bahawalnagar 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 PKR 497

$2.10 PKR 583

-14.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.27 PKR 3,959

$13.92 PKR 3,862

2.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 PKR 1,460

$4.32 PKR 1,199

21.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 PKR 445

$2.76 PKR 765

-42.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 950

$3.61 PKR 1,001

-5.26%

Cappuccino

$1.66 PKR 460

$2.27 PKR 630

-26.87%

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

$0.34 PKR 95.5

$0.33 PKR 91.0

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$0.21 PKR 58.1

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.85 PKR 235

-7.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.57 PKR 158

-1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$1.21 PKR 335

7.44%

Eggs

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.18 PKR 326

-3.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.98 PKR 1,660

$6.15 PKR 1,706

-2.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 906

$2.34 PKR 649

39.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.47 PKR 1,240

$1.29 PKR 359

246.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$0.86 PKR 240

18.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.64 PKR 177

-1.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.56 PKR 156

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 139

$0.48 PKR 133

4.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.35 PKR 98.0

5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.49 PKR 135

6.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 PKR 72.8

$0.45 PKR 124

-42.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.38 PKR 106

5.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.96 PKR 4,429

$1.11 PKR 309

1337.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 284

$0.54 PKR 150

88.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 658

$0.85 PKR 236

178.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 PKR 533

$1.90 PKR 527

1.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.6

$0.20 PKR 54.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 PKR 2,663

$6.93 PKR 1,923

38.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 235

$0.68 PKR 187

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.50 PKR 138

-36.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 PKR 858

$1.72 PKR 479

79.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 264

$0.93 PKR 259

2.15%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$17.8K PKR 5.0M

-1.89%

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

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

-0.03%

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

$101 PKR 28.0K

$141 PKR 39.2K

-28.64%

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

$3.96 PKR 1,100

$5.42 PKR 1,503

-26.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.35 PKR 4,537

$17.30 PKR 4,802

-5.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.86 PKR 2,736

$12.42 PKR 3,447

-20.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.42 PKR 2,060

$6.09 PKR 1,691

21.84%

Cinema Ticket

$3.57 PKR 990

$4.21 PKR 1,167

-15.20%

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

$40.97 PKR 11.4K

$34.65 PKR 9,615

18.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$963 PKR 267.2K

$1,230 PKR 341.4K

-21.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.74 PKR 3,258

$15.24 PKR 4,230

-22.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.96 PKR 5,263

$22.48 PKR 6,239

-15.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

$73.1 PKR 20.3K

22.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.12 PKR 8,081

$30.04 PKR 8,338

-3.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 36.9K

$76.1 PKR 21.1K

74.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.5 PKR 18.5K

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

28.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 PKR 92.8K

$168 PKR 46.6K

99.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$105 PKR 29.0K

65.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,133 PKR 314.6K

$911 PKR 252.7K

24.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$510 PKR 141.6K

$463 PKR 128.4K

10.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$176 PKR 48.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

19.88

1.46%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 26, 2026

Last update for Bahawalnagar: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Rawalpindi and $76.1 in Bahawalnagar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Rawalpindi vs $14.00 in Bahawalnagar. Groceries flip the comparison at $94.0 vs $79.0, with Bahawalnagar cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bahawalnagar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $646 in Rawalpindi and $675 in Bahawalnagar to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $133 in Rawalpindi versus $76.1 in Bahawalnagar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Rawalpindi runs roughly 38% less than in Bahawalnagar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $40.97 in Rawalpindi versus $34.65 in Bahawalnagar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

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.

Safety-wise, Rawalpindi and Bahawalnagar 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 Rawalpindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Bahawalnagar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.