Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Haroonabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Haroonabad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $504 in Rawalpindi versus $488 in Haroonabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $786 in Rawalpindi versus $716 in Haroonabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,069 in Rawalpindi versus $945 in Haroonabad.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 3% more expensive than in Haroonabad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 63% lower, Haroonabad 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 PKR 588

$2.56 PKR 710

-17.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.93 PKR 4,415

$10.84 PKR 3,005

46.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 PKR 1,633

$5.71 PKR 1,582

3.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

$3.68 PKR 1,019

-50.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 PKR 976

$5.25 PKR 1,456

-32.95%

Cappuccino

$1.94 PKR 537

$2.49 PKR 689

-22.09%

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

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.39 PKR 109

12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.26 PKR 72.5

-3.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.91 PKR 252

-1.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.67 PKR 185

-17.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 342

$1.18 PKR 327

4.24%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 307

$1.24 PKR 345

-10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 PKR 1,708

$6.31 PKR 1,750

-2.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 988

$2.52 PKR 698

41.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 PKR 1,446

$4.75 PKR 1,318

9.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.16 PKR 322

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 237

$0.63 PKR 174

36.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$0.82 PKR 227

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.64 PKR 178

-10.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.3

$0.28 PKR 77.0

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 127

$0.33 PKR 91.3

39.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.1

$0.48 PKR 134

-31.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.37 PKR 103

8.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.28 PKR 4,514

$1.06 PKR 293

1435.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 332

$0.60 PKR 167

100.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 PKR 681

$1.65 PKR 456

49.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 534

$2.10 PKR 581

-8.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.62

$0.17 PKR 46.04

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 PKR 2,806

$10.60 PKR 2,938

-4.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.88 PKR 244

3.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.69 PKR 192

-44.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 PKR 876

$1.84 PKR 509

71.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 312

$1.28 PKR 355

-11.72%

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

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

$18.1K PKR 5.0M

0.45%

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

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

-6.26%

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

$115 PKR 31.9K

$121 PKR 33.5K

-4.89%

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

$5.49 PKR 1,522

$5.38 PKR 1,493

2.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 PKR 5,175

$10.67 PKR 2,958

74.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.12 PKR 3,361

$15.17 PKR 4,205

-20.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.75 PKR 1,871

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,187

$4.41 PKR 1,224

-2.95%

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

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

$10.84 PKR 3,004

347.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$844 PKR 233.9K

$1,062 PKR 294.5K

-20.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.85 PKR 5,780

$10.66 PKR 2,956

95.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.03 PKR 7,770

$25.55 PKR 7,084

9.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

$74.1 PKR 20.5K

22.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

$28.50 PKR 7,901

27.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 PKR 56.6K

$122 PKR 33.8K

67.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.0 PKR 22.7K

$84.3 PKR 23.4K

-2.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 PKR 121.5K

$248 PKR 68.6K

77.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 PKR 62.5K

$163 PKR 45.1K

38.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,164 PKR 322.8K

$834 PKR 231.3K

39.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$512 PKR 142.0K

$588 PKR 163.1K

-12.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

14.22

60.41%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Last update for Haroonabad: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $204 in Rawalpindi and $122 in Haroonabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16.00 in Rawalpindi vs $11.00 in Haroonabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $103 vs $95.0 per month, with Haroonabad 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 Haroonabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haroonabad wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Rawalpindi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Haroonabad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $756 in Rawalpindi and $732 in Haroonabad 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: $204 in Rawalpindi versus $122 in Haroonabad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $48.47 in Rawalpindi versus $10.84 in Haroonabad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Rawalpindi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Haroonabad 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 Haroonabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.