Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Karak Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Karak

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $504 per month in Rawalpindi vs $428 in Karak, rent included.

A couple spends around $786 per month in Rawalpindi vs $625 in Karak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,069 per month in Rawalpindi vs $822 in Karak, rent included.

Rawalpindi costs about 18% more than Karak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rawalpindi and Karak are more affordable than the global median – Rawalpindi 63% lower, Karak 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 PKR 588

$0.75 PKR 207

182.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.93 PKR 4,416

$7.31 PKR 2,027

117.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 PKR 1,633

$5.51 PKR 1,527

6.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

$0.75 PKR 207

141.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 PKR 976

$6.78 PKR 1,879

-48.08%

Cappuccino

$1.94 PKR 538

$0.56 PKR 155

246.43%

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

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.36 PKR 98.9

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.22 PKR 60.7

13.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.94 PKR 261

-4.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.57 PKR 157

-3.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 342

$1.09 PKR 302

12.84%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 307

$1.11 PKR 308

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 PKR 1,708

$1.77 PKR 490

248.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 988

$2.87 PKR 795

24.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 PKR 1,446

$4.35 PKR 1,205

20.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 PKR 316

$0.69 PKR 191

65.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 237

$0.52 PKR 144

65.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$0.73 PKR 203

68.49%

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 89.6

43.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.1

$0.16 PKR 43.33

106.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.26 PKR 72.7

53.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.28 PKR 4,515

$1.85 PKR 512

780.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 332

$1.33 PKR 368

-9.77%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 PKR 681

$2.44 PKR 676

0.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$2.30 PKR 638

-16.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.62

$0.16 PKR 45.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 PKR 2,807

$8.59 PKR 2,383

17.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

$1.28 PKR 355

-28.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.73 PKR 203

-47.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 PKR 876

$1.58 PKR 437

100.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 312

$1.25 PKR 347

-9.60%

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

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

-16.63%

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

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

$25.5K PKR 7.1M

-2.23%

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

$115 PKR 31.9K

$103 PKR 28.5K

11.67%

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

$5.49 PKR 1,522

$5.81 PKR 1,611

-5.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 PKR 5,175

$16.19 PKR 4,489

15.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.12 PKR 3,361

$16.60 PKR 4,601

-26.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.75 PKR 1,872

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,187

$4.78 PKR 1,326

-10.46%

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

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

$75.3 PKR 20.9K

-35.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$844 PKR 234.0K

$996 PKR 276.1K

-15.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.85 PKR 5,780

$23.90 PKR 6,626

-12.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.03 PKR 7,771

$31.81 PKR 8,819

-11.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

$81.8 PKR 22.7K

11.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

$39.51 PKR 11.0K

-8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 PKR 56.7K

$130 PKR 35.9K

57.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.0 PKR 22.7K

$84.3 PKR 23.4K

-2.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 PKR 121.5K

$285 PKR 79.0K

53.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 PKR 62.5K

$155 PKR 43.0K

45.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,164 PKR 322.8K

$804 PKR 222.9K

44.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$512 PKR 142.1K

$585 PKR 162.2K

-12.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

13.08

74.39%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Last update for Karak: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $204 in Rawalpindi versus $130 in Karak. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Rawalpindi versus $7.00 in Karak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $74.0 – making Karak 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 Karak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi costs about 18% more than Karak, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $642 in Karak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 18% less in Karak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $48.47 per month in Rawalpindi and $75.3 in Karak. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $504 in Rawalpindi and $428 in Karak, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Karak – 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 Karak. 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.