Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Faisalabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Faisalabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $504 per month in Rawalpindi vs $393 in Faisalabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $786 per month in Rawalpindi vs $614 in Faisalabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,069 per month in Rawalpindi vs $835 in Faisalabad, rent included.

Rawalpindi costs about 28% more than Faisalabad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rawalpindi and Faisalabad are more affordable than the global median – Rawalpindi 63% lower, Faisalabad 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 PKR 588

$1.82 PKR 506

16.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.93 PKR 4,419

$10.74 PKR 2,979

48.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 PKR 1,634

$5.56 PKR 1,543

5.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

$2.48 PKR 688

-27.02%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 PKR 977

$2.11 PKR 586

66.82%

Cappuccino

$1.94 PKR 538

$1.44 PKR 401

34.72%

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

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.46 PKR 128

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.32 PKR 89.0

-21.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.84 PKR 234

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.62 PKR 172

-11.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 342

$1.27 PKR 354

-3.15%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 307

$1.18 PKR 329

-5.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 PKR 1,710

$8.77 PKR 2,434

-29.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 989

$2.55 PKR 708

40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 PKR 1,447

$4.02 PKR 1,116

29.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.09 PKR 303

4.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 237

$0.66 PKR 183

30.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$0.55 PKR 152

123.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.47 PKR 130

21.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.4

$0.31 PKR 87.3

16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 127

$0.49 PKR 135

-6.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.2

$0.50 PKR 138

-34.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.42 PKR 117

-4.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.28 PKR 4,518

$0.52 PKR 145

3030.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 332

$0.52 PKR 144

130.77%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 PKR 682

$0.75 PKR 209

228.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$2.40 PKR 665

-19.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 PKR 2,808

$7.11 PKR 1,973

42.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 254

$1.06 PKR 293

-14.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 PKR 104

$1.06 PKR 293

-64.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 PKR 877

$2.86 PKR 793

10.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 312

$1.10 PKR 305

2.73%

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

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

-22.29%

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

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

9.53%

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

$115 PKR 31.9K

$68.4 PKR 19.0K

68.09%

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

$5.49 PKR 1,523

$7.91 PKR 2,195

-30.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 PKR 5,178

$11.74 PKR 3,258

59.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.12 PKR 3,363

$14.72 PKR 4,083

-17.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.75 PKR 1,873

$18.27 PKR 5,070

-63.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,188

$7.10 PKR 1,969

-39.72%

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

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

$26.47 PKR 7,344

83.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$844 PKR 234.1K

$2,005 PKR 556.3K

-57.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.85 PKR 5,784

$19.03 PKR 5,279

9.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.03 PKR 7,775

$26.14 PKR 7,252

7.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

$53.1 PKR 14.7K

71.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

$29.22 PKR 8,107

24.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 PKR 56.7K

$107 PKR 29.8K

90.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.0 PKR 22.8K

$58.1 PKR 16.1K

41.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 PKR 121.6K

$217 PKR 60.3K

101.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 PKR 62.5K

$123 PKR 34.1K

83.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,164 PKR 323.0K

$551 PKR 153.0K

111.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$512 PKR 142.1K

$249 PKR 69.2K

105.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.4K

$169 PKR 46.9K

3.39%

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 1, 2026

Last update for Faisalabad: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $204 in Rawalpindi versus $107 in Faisalabad. 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 3% higher in Rawalpindi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Rawalpindi versus $11.00 in Faisalabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $99.0 – making Faisalabad 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 Faisalabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi costs about 28% more than Faisalabad, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $756 per month in Rawalpindi and $590 in Faisalabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 4% more in Rawalpindi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Rawalpindi and $11.00 in Faisalabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $504 in Rawalpindi and $393 in Faisalabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Faisalabad – 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 Faisalabad. 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.