Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Gujranwala Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Gujranwala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $504 per month in Rawalpindi vs $395 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A couple spends around $786 per month in Rawalpindi vs $624 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,069 per month in Rawalpindi vs $853 in Gujranwala, rent included.

Rawalpindi costs about 27% more than Gujranwala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 PKR 588

$3.58 PKR 992

-40.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.93 PKR 4,416

$12.47 PKR 3,458

27.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 PKR 1,633

$5.45 PKR 1,511

8.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

$0.89 PKR 247

103.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 PKR 976

$6.75 PKR 1,873

-47.85%

Cappuccino

$1.94 PKR 538

$1.14 PKR 315

70.18%

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

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.21 PKR 58.2

109.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.16 PKR 44.89

56.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.86 PKR 238

4.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.73 PKR 202

-24.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 342

$1.13 PKR 314

8.85%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 307

$1.27 PKR 353

-12.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 PKR 1,708

$6.05 PKR 1,676

1.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 988

$2.38 PKR 659

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 PKR 1,446

$5.19 PKR 1,438

0.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.34 PKR 373

-14.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 237

$0.83 PKR 230

3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$0.92 PKR 255

33.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.48 PKR 134

18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.3

$0.29 PKR 81.1

24.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 127

$0.32 PKR 89.7

43.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.1

$0.27 PKR 73.8

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.37 PKR 101

8.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.28 PKR 4,515

$1.82 PKR 506

794.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 332

$1.10 PKR 305

9.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 PKR 681

$2.42 PKR 671

1.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$2.18 PKR 606

-11.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.62

$0.19 PKR 52.1

-15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 PKR 2,807

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.95 PKR 262

-4.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.69 PKR 190

-44.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 PKR 876

$1.46 PKR 405

116.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 312

$1.14 PKR 317

-0.88%

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

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

1.20%

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

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

16.85%

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

$115 PKR 31.9K

$102 PKR 28.1K

13.29%

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

$5.49 PKR 1,522

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 PKR 5,175

$16.34 PKR 4,529

14.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.12 PKR 3,361

$7.18 PKR 1,989

68.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.75 PKR 1,872

$5.94 PKR 1,646

13.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,187

$4.24 PKR 1,175

0.94%

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

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

$28.01 PKR 7,765

73.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$844 PKR 234.0K

$961 PKR 266.5K

-12.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.85 PKR 5,780

$14.42 PKR 3,998

44.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.03 PKR 7,771

$24.95 PKR 6,916

12.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

$73.4 PKR 20.3K

24.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

$33.45 PKR 9,275

8.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 PKR 56.7K

$54.7 PKR 15.2K

273.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.0 PKR 22.7K

$31.57 PKR 8,754

159.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 PKR 121.5K

$162 PKR 44.8K

171.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 PKR 62.5K

$96.7 PKR 26.8K

133.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,164 PKR 322.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$512 PKR 142.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.4K

$238 PKR 66.0K

-26.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

11.5

98.35%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Last update for Gujranwala: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $204 in Rawalpindi versus $54.7 in Gujranwala. 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 36% higher in Gujranwala, 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 $12.00 in Gujranwala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $96.0 – making Gujranwala 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 Gujranwala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $504 in Rawalpindi, $395 in Gujranwala – roughly 27% apart. Rawalpindi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $756 per month in Rawalpindi and $593 in Gujranwala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Rawalpindi and $12.00 in Gujranwala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Rawalpindi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $504 in Rawalpindi and $395 in Gujranwala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Gujranwala – 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 Gujranwala. 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.