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: $495 in Rawalpindi versus $419 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $781 in Rawalpindi versus $630 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,067 in Rawalpindi versus $841 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 18% more expensive than in Dera Ghazi Khan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 64% lower, Dera Ghazi Khan 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 PKR 569

$1.83 PKR 507

12.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.07 PKR 4,452

$10.92 PKR 3,026

47.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 PKR 1,617

$5.46 PKR 1,513

6.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 487

$2.49 PKR 691

-29.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 PKR 971

$2.15 PKR 597

62.79%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PKR 549

$1.45 PKR 401

36.55%

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

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.46 PKR 128

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.30 PKR 82.3

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 251

$0.84 PKR 233

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 151

$0.62 PKR 172

-12.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$1.26 PKR 350

-2.38%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.19 PKR 329

-6.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 PKR 1,752

$8.77 PKR 2,430

-27.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 990

$2.64 PKR 731

35.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.05 PKR 1,398

$4.00 PKR 1,107

26.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 331

$1.09 PKR 302

10.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.62 PKR 171

35.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 338

$0.54 PKR 151

125.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.48 PKR 132

10.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.5

$0.29 PKR 79.6

24.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.52 PKR 145

-13.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 84.9

$0.50 PKR 139

-38.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.40 PKR 110

7.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.09 PKR 4,458

$0.52 PKR 144

2994.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 316

$0.52 PKR 144

119.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 657

$0.75 PKR 209

216.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$2.32 PKR 642

-16.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 50.5

$0.18 PKR 50.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,767

$9.94 PKR 2,752

0.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.10 PKR 303

-15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 96.1

$1.06 PKR 295

-66.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 PKR 861

$2.92 PKR 809

6.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 313

$0.95 PKR 264

18.95%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$23.3K PKR 6.4M

-23.05%

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

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

5.11%

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

$113 PKR 31.2K

$68.1 PKR 18.9K

65.54%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,537

$5.66 PKR 1,569

-1.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 PKR 5,229

$14.51 PKR 4,020

30.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.11 PKR 3,354

$15.18 PKR 4,206

-20.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 PKR 1,886

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,179

$7.09 PKR 1,964

-39.92%

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

$48.70 PKR 13.5K

$26.95 PKR 7,465

80.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$833 PKR 230.8K

$2,022 PKR 560.1K

-58.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.41 PKR 5,653

$19.03 PKR 5,272

7.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.85 PKR 7,993

$26.07 PKR 7,222

10.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 PKR 26.0K

$53.1 PKR 14.7K

76.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.19 PKR 10.0K

$29.24 PKR 8,100

23.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.6K

$140 PKR 38.8K

43.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.0 PKR 23.0K

$86.4 PKR 23.9K

-3.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 PKR 118.6K

$222 PKR 61.5K

92.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 PKR 62.6K

$141 PKR 39.0K

60.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,170 PKR 324.1K

$905 PKR 250.6K

29.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$507 PKR 140.5K

$517 PKR 143.2K

-1.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

11.83

92.81%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Dera Ghazi Khan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Rawalpindi and $140 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16.00 in Rawalpindi vs $11.00 in Dera Ghazi Khan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $103 vs $98.0 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 18% in total monthly costs ($495 vs $419 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 $742 in Rawalpindi and $629 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: $201 in Rawalpindi versus $140 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 1% 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 $26.95 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 18% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.