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: $437 in Rawalpindi versus $383 in Bathinda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $671 in Rawalpindi versus $609 in Bathinda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $905 in Rawalpindi versus $835 in Bathinda.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bathinda, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 67% lower, Bathinda 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 PKR 505

$2.94 ₹283

-38.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.95 PKR 3,873

$14.05 ₹1,352

-0.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.40 PKR 1,499

$3.52 ₹339

53.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 PKR 433

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 PKR 980

Cappuccino

$1.71 PKR 474

$1.29 ₹125

32.56%

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

$0.31 PKR 87.1

$0.28 ₹26.68

10.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.9

$0.13 ₹12.28

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₹172

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₹226

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 PKR 239

$0.70 ₹67.5

22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.49 ₹46.86

8.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$0.68 ₹65.6

91.18%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 312

$0.87 ₹83.5

28.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 PKR 1,674

$3.32 ₹320

81.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 PKR 954

$2.41 ₹232

42.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.40 PKR 1,221

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 PKR 280

$1.98 ₹191

-48.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$0.82 ₹78.7

-15.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.99 ₹95.7

-14.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 129

$0.57 ₹55.1

-17.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 94.1

$0.22 ₹21.15

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.45 ₹43.62

15.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.0

$0.48 ₹46.60

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 109

$0.34 ₹32.97

14.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.04 PKR 4,454

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 PKR 274

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PKR 666

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 PKR 532

$3.44 ₹331

-44.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 ₹1,098

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₹167

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₹240

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

$5.12 ₹493

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.1

$0.28 ₹26.87

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.52 PKR 2,645

$8.54 ₹822

11.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 240

$0.78 ₹75.2

10.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 PKR 89.7

$0.20 ₹19.63

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 PKR 811

$1.32 ₹127

121.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 270

$1.15 ₹111

-15.65%

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

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

$11.5K ₹1.1M

53.16%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$17.2K ₹1.7M

32.40%

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

$104 PKR 28.8K

$48.27 ₹4,647

114.81%

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

$4.04 PKR 1,121

$3.47 ₹334

16.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.63 PKR 4,618

$3.42 ₹330

386.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.97 PKR 2,768

$13.34 ₹1,284

-25.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 PKR 2,062

$6.97 ₹671

6.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 PKR 964

$2.82 ₹272

23.05%

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

$40.20 PKR 11.2K

$61.8 ₹5,953

-34.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$948 PKR 263.3K

$1,713 ₹164.9K

-44.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.90 PKR 3,304

$19.13 ₹1,842

-37.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.45 PKR 5,124

$20.52 ₹1,975

-10.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

$47.87 ₹4,609

86.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.00 PKR 8,053

$33.48 ₹3,223

-13.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 36.8K

$123 ₹11.9K

7.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.1 PKR 18.1K

$77.5 ₹7,464

-16.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 PKR 91.6K

$273 ₹26.3K

20.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 PKR 47.4K

$182 ₹17.5K

-6.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 PKR 326.5K

$920 ₹88.5K

27.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$518 PKR 143.8K

$513 ₹49.4K

0.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.5K

$524 ₹50.5K

-66.69%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bathinda: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Rawalpindi and $123 in Bathinda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bathinda pays 200% 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 $106 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 14% in total monthly costs ($437 vs $383 including rent). Bathinda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 200% lower in Bathinda. 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: $133 in Rawalpindi versus $123 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 11% less than in Rawalpindi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $40.20 in Rawalpindi versus $61.8 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 14% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.