Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Bathinda Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Bathinda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $429 in Rawalpindi versus $388 in Bathinda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $679 in Rawalpindi versus $623 in Bathinda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $929 in Rawalpindi versus $858 in Bathinda.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 11% more expensive than Bathinda, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 68% lower, Bathinda 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 PKR 496

$2.85 ₹273

-37.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,957

$13.71 ₹1,312

3.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 PKR 1,470

$3.55 ₹340

49.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 PKR 429

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 PKR 947

Cappuccino

$1.73 PKR 481

$1.26 ₹120

37.30%

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

$0.32 PKR 88.9

$0.28 ₹26.62

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.13 ₹12.88

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 ₹163

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₹228

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.69 ₹66.3

14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.48 ₹46.12

18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 343

$0.73 ₹69.6

68.49%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 311

$0.88 ₹84.0

27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 PKR 1,693

$3.35 ₹321

81.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 944

$2.48 ₹238

36.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 PKR 1,271

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$2.04 ₹195

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.76 ₹72.7

-11.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 257

$0.94 ₹89.6

-2.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 132

$0.53 ₹50.4

-11.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 93.2

$0.24 ₹22.97

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.48 ₹46.22

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 PKR 72.7

$0.49 ₹46.58

-46.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.34 ₹32.92

8.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.44 PKR 4,573

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 PKR 288

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PKR 669

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 528

$3.55 ₹340

-46.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 ₹977

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₹159

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₹241

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

$5.11 ₹489

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.36

$0.28 ₹26.47

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 PKR 2,751

$8.64 ₹827

14.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.84 ₹80.1

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 97.5

$0.16 ₹15.49

118.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 PKR 826

$1.26 ₹121

135.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 267

$1.16 ₹111

-17.24%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$11.4K ₹1.1M

57.16%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

28.32%

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

$100 PKR 28.0K

$47.54 ₹4,549

111.36%

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

$3.99 PKR 1,111

$3.38 ₹323

18.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.64 PKR 4,630

$3.56 ₹340

367.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.14 PKR 2,821

$13.53 ₹1,295

-25.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.67 PKR 2,134

$6.93 ₹664

10.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.60 PKR 1,003

$2.99 ₹286

20.40%

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

$39.75 PKR 11.1K

$61.9 ₹5,922

-35.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$962 PKR 267.6K

$1,656 ₹158.5K

-41.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.80 PKR 3,282

$19.73 ₹1,888

-40.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.84 PKR 5,242

$20.09 ₹1,923

-6.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$47.77 ₹4,572

83.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.38 PKR 7,896

$32.50 ₹3,110

-12.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 36.1K

$125 ₹11.9K

4.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

$74.9 ₹7,168

-11.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 PKR 90.1K

$278 ₹26.6K

16.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$182 ₹17.5K

-5.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,173 PKR 326.4K

$974 ₹93.2K

20.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$516 PKR 143.5K

$518 ₹49.5K

-0.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 PKR 47.6K

$529 ₹50.7K

-67.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

8.3

143.01%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bathinda: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Rawalpindi and $125 in Bathinda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bathinda pays 210% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Rawalpindi vs $14.00 in Bathinda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $95.0 vs $103 per month, with Rawalpindi 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

Rawalpindi vs Bathinda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi and Bathinda differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($429 vs $388 including rent). Bathinda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bathinda earns 210% less. 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: $130 in Rawalpindi versus $125 in Bathinda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bathinda runs roughly 14% less than in Rawalpindi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $39.75 in Rawalpindi versus $61.9 in Bathinda. 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 Bathinda 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.

Expats usually find Bathinda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.