Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Dera Ghazi Khan Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Dera Ghazi Khan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $427 in Rawalpindi versus $291 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $665 in Rawalpindi versus $465 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $902 in Rawalpindi versus $640 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 47% more expensive than Dera Ghazi Khan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 68% lower, Dera Ghazi Khan 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 PKR 485

$1.17 PKR 325

49.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.18 PKR 3,942

$10.58 PKR 2,942

34.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 PKR 1,441

$2.43 PKR 676

113.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 PKR 435

$1.04 PKR 289

50.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 951

$1.80 PKR 499

90.00%

Cappuccino

$1.67 PKR 464

$1.50 PKR 417

11.33%

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

$0.34 PKR 95.4

$0.34 PKR 93.2

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.1

$0.22 PKR 61.0

-4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 PKR 221

$0.72 PKR 199

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.46 PKR 128

21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 358

$1.27 PKR 353

1.57%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 326

$1.19 PKR 331

-1.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PKR 1,690

$2.72 PKR 757

123.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 PKR 926

$1.97 PKR 548

69.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.52 PKR 1,256

$3.11 PKR 865

45.34%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 275

$1.03 PKR 286

-3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 PKR 178

$0.58 PKR 161

10.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 256

$0.65 PKR 181

41.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.55 PKR 154

-7.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.35 PKR 96.7

2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$0.42 PKR 117

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.62 PKR 173

-61.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.34 PKR 94.0

17.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.38 PKR 4,554

$0.96 PKR 267

1606.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 285

$0.92 PKR 257

10.87%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 PKR 635

$2.02 PKR 562

12.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 530

$1.73 PKR 481

9.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.9

$0.19 PKR 54.1

5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.52 PKR 2,646

$7.18 PKR 1,996

32.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 234

$1.04 PKR 290

-19.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 PKR 91.0

$0.33 PKR 91.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 PKR 854

$1.75 PKR 487

75.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 254

$0.90 PKR 251

1.11%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.9M

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

-22.14%

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

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

7.91%

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

$100 PKR 27.9K

$58.2 PKR 16.2K

72.39%

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

$4.12 PKR 1,146

$2.28 PKR 633

80.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.38 PKR 4,555

$12.90 PKR 3,586

26.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.15 PKR 2,821

$12.20 PKR 3,391

-16.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 PKR 2,150

$6.02 PKR 1,673

28.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 PKR 1,005

$3.46 PKR 962

4.34%

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

$40.70 PKR 11.3K

$28.04 PKR 7,795

45.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$965 PKR 268.4K

$1,114 PKR 309.8K

-13.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.77 PKR 3,273

$16.22 PKR 4,510

-27.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.65 PKR 5,184

$21.88 PKR 6,082

-14.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 PKR 25.0K

$59.6 PKR 16.6K

50.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.17 PKR 7,832

$25.80 PKR 7,173

9.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 37.0K

$55.8 PKR 15.5K

138.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.5 PKR 18.2K

$30.32 PKR 8,430

116.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 PKR 92.6K

$118 PKR 32.8K

182.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 PKR 47.9K

$66.6 PKR 18.5K

158.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 PKR 314.2K

$915 PKR 254.5K

23.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 142.1K

$480 PKR 133.5K

6.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

12.06%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 6, 2026

Last update for Dera Ghazi Khan: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Rawalpindi and $55.8 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Rawalpindi vs $11.00 in Dera Ghazi Khan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $95.0 vs $71.0 per month, with Dera Ghazi Khan 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 Dera Ghazi Khan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi and Dera Ghazi Khan differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($427 vs $291 including rent). Dera Ghazi Khan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $641 in Rawalpindi and $436 in Dera Ghazi Khan 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 $55.8 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dera Ghazi Khan runs roughly 33% less than in Rawalpindi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $40.70 in Rawalpindi versus $28.04 in Dera Ghazi Khan. 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 Dera Ghazi Khan 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 Dera Ghazi Khan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.