Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Hyderabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Hyderabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $503 per month in Rawalpindi vs $436 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $776 per month in Rawalpindi vs $683 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,050 per month in Rawalpindi vs $931 in Hyderabad, rent included.

Rawalpindi costs about 16% more than Hyderabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rawalpindi and Hyderabad are more affordable than the global median – Rawalpindi 64% lower, Hyderabad 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 580

$1.69 PKR 467

23.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.42 PKR 4,548

$10.79 PKR 2,988

52.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 PKR 1,611

$4.42 PKR 1,225

31.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 PKR 511

$2.22 PKR 615

-17.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 PKR 963

$5.90 PKR 1,636

-41.02%

Cappuccino

$1.92 PKR 532

$1.02 PKR 284

88.24%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.38 PKR 104

5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.24 PKR 66.7

4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 PKR 239

$0.77 PKR 212

11.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.52 PKR 143

13.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 333

$1.25 PKR 345

-4.00%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 318

$1.22 PKR 338

-5.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 PKR 1,721

$4.29 PKR 1,189

44.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 PKR 962

$3.09 PKR 857

12.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.18 PKR 1,436

$4.05 PKR 1,123

27.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 PKR 329

$1.06 PKR 293

12.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.41 PKR 112

107.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 352

$0.63 PKR 176

101.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.47 PKR 130

21.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.32 PKR 87.4

18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.34 PKR 93.0

44.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.3

$0.37 PKR 102

-10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 PKR 117

$0.43 PKR 120

-2.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.90 PKR 4,406

$0.88 PKR 243

1706.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PKR 327

$1.17 PKR 325

0.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 677

$0.71 PKR 196

243.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 PKR 539

$1.75 PKR 486

10.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 53.2

$0.16 PKR 43.05

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.07 PKR 2,789

$9.66 PKR 2,677

4.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.65 PKR 179

44.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 93.9

$0.16 PKR 43.27

112.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 PKR 869

$0.70 PKR 195

348.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 PKR 323

$1.19 PKR 330

-1.68%

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

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

$18.1K PKR 5.0M

-2.64%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

$25.4K PKR 7.0M

-5.30%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$110 PKR 30.3K

2.40%

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

$5.76 PKR 1,594

$5.58 PKR 1,547

3.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.29 PKR 5,067

$13.26 PKR 3,673

37.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.83 PKR 3,278

$22.44 PKR 6,215

-47.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.79 PKR 1,881

$3.51 PKR 972

93.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 PKR 1,191

$3.51 PKR 971

22.51%

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

$48.80 PKR 13.5K

$49.28 PKR 13.7K

-0.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$852 PKR 235.9K

$1,311 PKR 363.2K

-35.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.89 PKR 5,787

$15.42 PKR 4,273

35.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.53 PKR 7,903

$22.20 PKR 6,149

28.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 PKR 25.9K

$67.6 PKR 18.7K

38.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.66 PKR 9,879

$37.72 PKR 10.5K

-5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.7K

$133 PKR 36.8K

51.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.3 PKR 22.8K

$76.2 PKR 21.1K

7.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 PKR 119.1K

$310 PKR 85.9K

38.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 PKR 62.6K

$213 PKR 58.9K

6.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,149 PKR 318.2K

$761 PKR 210.9K

50.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$517 PKR 143.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.0K

$159 PKR 44.0K

9.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

12.88

77.10%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 7, 2026

Last update for Hyderabad: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $201 in Rawalpindi versus $133 in Hyderabad. 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 9% 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 Hyderabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $84.0 – making Hyderabad 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 Hyderabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi costs about 16% more than Hyderabad, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $755 per month in Rawalpindi and $653 in Hyderabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hyderabad, 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 $11.00 in Hyderabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $503 in Rawalpindi and $436 in Hyderabad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $503 in Rawalpindi and $436 in Hyderabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Hyderabad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hyderabad. 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.