Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Rawalpindi: $503 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Rawalpindi
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Rawalpindi Living Index
73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Rawalpindi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$503

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rawalpindi and in Istanbul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rawalpindi and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $503 per month in Rawalpindi vs $1,519 in Istanbul, rent included.

Rawalpindi $503
Istanbul $1,519

A couple spends around $788 per month in Rawalpindi vs $2,365 in Istanbul, rent included.

Rawalpindi $788
Istanbul $2,365

A family of three spends $1,072 per month in Rawalpindi vs $3,212 in Istanbul, rent included.

Rawalpindi $1,072
Istanbul $3,212

Rawalpindi is about 67% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Rawalpindi sits 63% below the global median, while Istanbul is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 578

$11.81 ₺592

-82.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.18 PKR 4,473

$54.9 ₺2,754

-70.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.03 PKR 1,667

$9.26 ₺465

-34.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 486

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 PKR 961

Cappuccino

$1.94 PKR 537

$4.30 ₺216

-54.88%

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

$0.44 PKR 121

$1.77 ₺89.0

-75.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.5

$0.56 ₺28.32

-55.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺235

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺357

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$1.25 ₺62.7

-27.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 164

$0.88 ₺44.17

-32.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 343

$2.20 ₺111

-43.64%

Eggs

$1.14 PKR 314

$2.43 ₺122

-53.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.38 PKR 1,764

$10.48 ₺526

-39.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 PKR 978

$5.31 ₺267

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.19 PKR 1,435

$21.10 ₺1,058

-75.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 327

$1.86 ₺93.1

-36.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 PKR 246

$2.30 ₺115

-61.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 342

$1.22 ₺61.0

1.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 160

$1.80 ₺90.2

-67.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 97.5

$0.69 ₺34.83

-49.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.64 ₺32.16

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 PKR 95.4

$1.36 ₺68.0

-74.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.58 ₺28.94

-32.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.25 PKR 4,492

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 PKR 336

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 PKR 687

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 546

$2.34 ₺117

-15.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.93

$0.88 ₺44.07

-80.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.81 PKR 2,710

$66.1 ₺3,316

-85.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 PKR 240

$1.28 ₺64.4

-32.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.85 ₺42.80

-55.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 PKR 827

$11.09 ₺556

-73.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 PKR 328

$1.48 ₺74.0

-19.59%

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

$19.1K PKR 5.3M

$48.6K ₺2.4M

-60.80%

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

$23.6K PKR 6.5M

$42.0K ₺2.1M

-43.81%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$92.7 ₺4,650

21.29%

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

$5.60 PKR 1,548

$11.20 ₺562

-50.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 PKR 5,187

$15.89 ₺797

18.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.23 PKR 3,381

$74.7 ₺3,745

-83.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.62 PKR 2,107

$22.95 ₺1,151

-66.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 PKR 1,174

$8.05 ₺404

-47.20%

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

$49.55 PKR 13.7K

$948 ₺47.6K

-94.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,057 PKR 292.0K

$36.9K ₺1.9M

-97.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.14 PKR 4,737

$53.9 ₺2,702

-68.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.15 PKR 8,885

$41.49 ₺2,081

-22.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 PKR 25.4K

$101 ₺5,060

-9.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.65 PKR 10.1K

$91.3 ₺4,580

-59.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 PKR 50.8K

$1,014 ₺50.8K

-81.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.4 PKR 24.1K

$625 ₺31.3K

-86.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 PKR 105.8K

$2,005 ₺100.6K

-80.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 PKR 61.8K

$1,126 ₺56.5K

-80.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,016 PKR 280.7K

$2,988 ₺149.8K

-66.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$433 PKR 119.6K

$1,730 ₺86.8K

-74.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 PKR 47.3K

$1,136 ₺57.0K

-84.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

40.42

-43.57%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: November 2, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rawalpindi

$137 27.2%

Istanbul

$120 7.9% 12.4% $17

Groceries & Markets

Rawalpindi

$104 20.7%

Istanbul

$258 17% 148% $154

Accommodation & Living

Rawalpindi

$87 17.4%

Istanbul

$625 41.1% 615% $537

Clothing & Footwear

Rawalpindi

$80 15.9%

Istanbul

$129 8.5% 61.8% $49

Eating Out

Rawalpindi

$61 12.1%

Istanbul

$221 14.6% 263% $160

Sport & Entertainment

Rawalpindi

$21 4.1%

Istanbul

$91 6% 338% $70

Getting Around

Rawalpindi

$13 2.6%

Istanbul

$75 5% 468% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $184 in Rawalpindi versus $1,014 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Istanbul are about 6.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Rawalpindi versus $55 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $104 vs $258 – making Rawalpindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Rawalpindi

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

17:02 5:02 PM

15:02 3:02 PM

2 h behind Rawalpindi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,098,231

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 276 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 310 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.33 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Rawalpindi Istanbul 3,940 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Rawalpindi
Istanbul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 202%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $755 per month in Rawalpindi and $2,278 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rawalpindi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $184 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Kindergarten costs $50 per month in Rawalpindi and $948 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 148% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Rawalpindi, where all-in costs run around $503, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Rawalpindi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rawalpindi – 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 Rawalpindi. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.