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: $495 in Rawalpindi versus $393 in Bathinda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $781 in Rawalpindi versus $625 in Bathinda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,067 in Rawalpindi versus $857 in Bathinda.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 26% more expensive than in Bathinda, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 64% lower, Bathinda 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 PKR 569

$2.55 ₹244

-19.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.07 PKR 4,452

$13.30 ₹1,276

20.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 PKR 1,617

$3.69 ₹354

58.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 487

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 PKR 971

Cappuccino

$1.98 PKR 549

$1.14 ₹109

73.68%

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

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.30 ₹28.91

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.10 ₹9.32

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ₹199

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₹187

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 251

$0.64 ₹61.5

42.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 151

$0.55 ₹52.7

-1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$0.86 ₹82.6

43.02%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$0.99 ₹94.8

12.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 PKR 1,752

$4.90 ₹470

28.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 990

$2.95 ₹283

21.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.05 PKR 1,398

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 331

$1.79 ₹172

-32.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.76 ₹73.3

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 338

$1.03 ₹98.9

18.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.62 ₹59.3

-14.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.5

$0.32 ₹30.83

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.38 ₹36.20

18.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 84.9

$0.66 ₹63.7

-53.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.30 ₹28.39

43.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.09 PKR 4,458

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 316

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 657

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$3.51 ₹337

-45.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 ₹1,120

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₹166

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₹257

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

$6.84 ₹656

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 50.5

$0.26 ₹24.73

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,767

$7.25 ₹695

37.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.03 ₹98.7

-9.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 96.1

$0.22 ₹20.99

59.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 PKR 861

$1.59 ₹153

95.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.06 ₹102

6.60%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$12.6K ₹1.2M

41.53%

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

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

$24.6K ₹2.4M

-1.94%

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

$113 PKR 31.2K

$46.00 ₹4,414

145.17%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,537

$4.59 ₹441

20.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 PKR 5,229

$6.97 ₹669

170.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.11 PKR 3,354

$14.07 ₹1,350

-13.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 PKR 1,886

$6.37 ₹611

6.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,179

$3.17 ₹304

34.38%

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

$48.70 PKR 13.5K

$57.9 ₹5,556

-15.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$833 PKR 230.8K

$1,532 ₹147.0K

-45.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.41 PKR 5,653

$12.53 ₹1,202

62.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.85 PKR 7,993

$24.43 ₹2,344

18.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 PKR 26.0K

$57.3 ₹5,498

63.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.19 PKR 10.0K

$44.05 ₹4,226

-17.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.6K

$127 ₹12.2K

57.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.0 PKR 23.0K

$69.2 ₹6,643

19.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 PKR 118.6K

$268 ₹25.7K

59.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 PKR 62.6K

$177 ₹17.0K

27.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,170 PKR 324.1K

$896 ₹86.0K

30.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$507 PKR 140.5K

$569 ₹54.6K

-10.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.0K

$517 ₹49.6K

-66.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

185.12%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bathinda: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Rawalpindi and $127 in Bathinda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bathinda pays 198% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $16.00 in Rawalpindi vs $13.00 in Bathinda. Groceries flip the comparison at $103 vs $115, with Rawalpindi 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 Bathinda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi and Bathinda differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($495 vs $393 including rent). Bathinda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 198% 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: $201 in Rawalpindi versus $127 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 38% less than in Rawalpindi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $48.70 in Rawalpindi versus $57.9 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 26% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.