Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Chengalpattu Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Chengalpattu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $504 per month in Rawalpindi vs $345 in Chengalpattu, rent included.

A couple spends around $786 per month in Rawalpindi vs $536 in Chengalpattu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,069 per month in Rawalpindi vs $726 in Chengalpattu, rent included.

Rawalpindi costs about 46% more than Chengalpattu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rawalpindi and Chengalpattu are more affordable than the global median – Rawalpindi 63% lower, Chengalpattu 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 PKR 588

$1.06 ₹100

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.93 PKR 4,415

$9.17 ₹867

73.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 PKR 1,633

$3.00 ₹283

96.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 PKR 976

Cappuccino

$1.94 PKR 537

$1.61 ₹152

20.50%

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

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.45 ₹42.46

-2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.20 ₹18.86

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 ₹176

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₹297

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.64 ₹60.9

40.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.44 ₹41.70

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 342

$0.57 ₹53.9

115.79%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 307

$0.97 ₹91.4

14.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 PKR 1,708

$4.51 ₹426

36.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 988

$2.82 ₹267

26.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 PKR 1,446

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.86 ₹176

-38.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 237

$0.70 ₹66.1

22.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$0.91 ₹86.0

35.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.51 ₹47.75

11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.3

$0.36 ₹33.66

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 127

$0.41 ₹38.34

12.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.1

$0.45 ₹42.45

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.29 ₹27.26

37.93%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.28 PKR 4,514

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 332

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 PKR 681

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 534

$5.16 ₹488

-62.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.34 ₹410

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₹192

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₹303

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

$3.36 ₹318

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.62

$0.25 ₹23.35

-36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 PKR 2,806

$7.43 ₹702

36.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.76 ₹72.0

19.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.25 ₹23.40

52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 PKR 876

$1.60 ₹152

97.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 312

$1.14 ₹108

-0.88%

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

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

$12.4K ₹1.2M

46.61%

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

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

$19.7K ₹1.9M

27.08%

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

$115 PKR 31.9K

$35.64 ₹3,368

222.64%

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

$5.49 PKR 1,522

$3.42 ₹323

60.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 PKR 5,175

$6.50 ₹615

187.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.12 PKR 3,361

$15.09 ₹1,426

-19.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.75 PKR 1,871

$4.72 ₹446

43.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,187

$2.97 ₹280

44.11%

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

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

$48.53 ₹4,586

-0.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$844 PKR 233.9K

$1,434 ₹135.5K

-41.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.85 PKR 5,780

$22.01 ₹2,080

-5.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.03 PKR 7,770

$23.37 ₹2,208

19.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

$38.14 ₹3,604

138.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

$27.64 ₹2,611

31.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 PKR 56.6K

$98.7 ₹9,329

106.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.0 PKR 22.7K

$64.2 ₹6,069

27.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 PKR 121.5K

$190 ₹18.0K

130.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 PKR 62.5K

$136 ₹12.9K

65.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,164 PKR 322.8K

$730 ₹69.0K

59.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$512 PKR 142.0K

$457 ₹43.2K

12.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.4K

$589 ₹55.6K

-70.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

8.75

160.69%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chengalpattu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $204 in Rawalpindi versus $98.7 in Chengalpattu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 237% higher in Chengalpattu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Rawalpindi versus $9.00 in Chengalpattu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $97.0 – making Chengalpattu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chengalpattu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rawalpindi is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $756 per month in Rawalpindi and $517 in Chengalpattu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengalpattu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 36% less in Chengalpattu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $48.47 per month in Rawalpindi and $48.53 in Chengalpattu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $504 in Rawalpindi and $345 in Chengalpattu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chengalpattu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chengalpattu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rawalpindi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.