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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $429 per month in Rawalpindi vs $407 in Karak, rent included.

A couple spends around $679 per month in Rawalpindi vs $583 in Karak, rent included.

A family of three spends $929 per month in Rawalpindi vs $759 in Karak, rent included.

Rawalpindi costs about 5% more than Karak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rawalpindi and Karak are more affordable than the global median – Rawalpindi 68% lower, Karak 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 PKR 496

$0.74 PKR 205

140.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,957

$7.00 PKR 1,948

103.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 PKR 1,470

$5.27 PKR 1,467

0.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 PKR 429

$0.68 PKR 189

126.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 PKR 947

$4.00 PKR 1,112

-15.00%

Cappuccino

$1.73 PKR 481

$0.51 PKR 141

239.22%

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

$0.32 PKR 88.9

$0.34 PKR 93.3

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.24 PKR 66.9

-4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 219

$1.00 PKR 277

-21.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.51 PKR 141

11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 343

$1.04 PKR 288

18.27%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 311

$1.09 PKR 303

2.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 PKR 1,693

$1.81 PKR 503

236.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 944

$2.82 PKR 784

20.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 PKR 1,271

$4.29 PKR 1,194

6.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$0.72 PKR 201

41.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.55 PKR 153

21.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 257

$0.72 PKR 202

27.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 132

$0.55 PKR 154

-14.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 93.2

$0.38 PKR 107

-13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.57 PKR 158

-8.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 PKR 72.7

$0.17 PKR 46.89

52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.24 PKR 66.6

54.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.44 PKR 4,573

$1.34 PKR 373

1126.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 PKR 288

$0.91 PKR 253

14.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PKR 669

$1.98 PKR 552

21.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 528

$2.14 PKR 595

-11.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.36

$0.18 PKR 49.76

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 PKR 2,751

$7.23 PKR 2,010

36.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.86 PKR 240

5.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 97.5

$0.44 PKR 121

-20.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 PKR 826

$2.84 PKR 791

4.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 267

$0.97 PKR 269

-1.03%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

-16.68%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$26.4K PKR 7.4M

-13.89%

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

$100 PKR 28.0K

$113 PKR 31.6K

-11.46%

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

$3.99 PKR 1,111

$5.36 PKR 1,491

-25.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.64 PKR 4,630

$18.48 PKR 5,141

-9.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.14 PKR 2,821

$12.19 PKR 3,391

-16.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.67 PKR 2,135

$6.05 PKR 1,684

26.78%

Cinema Ticket

$3.60 PKR 1,003

$4.22 PKR 1,174

-14.69%

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

$39.75 PKR 11.1K

$59.1 PKR 16.5K

-32.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$962 PKR 267.6K

$1,129 PKR 314.1K

-14.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.80 PKR 3,282

$21.57 PKR 6,001

-45.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.84 PKR 5,242

$27.73 PKR 7,714

-32.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$90.1 PKR 25.1K

-2.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.38 PKR 7,896

$40.80 PKR 11.4K

-30.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 36.1K

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

75.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

28.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 PKR 90.1K

$167 PKR 46.5K

93.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$104 PKR 29.1K

65.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,173 PKR 326.4K

$1,127 PKR 313.5K

4.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$516 PKR 143.6K

$580 PKR 161.3K

-10.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 PKR 47.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

20.2

-0.15%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Karak: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $130 in Rawalpindi versus $73.7 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 $14.00 in Rawalpindi versus $7.00 in Karak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $95.0 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 5% 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 $644 per month in Rawalpindi and $610 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 37% less in Karak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $39.75 per month in Rawalpindi and $59.1 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 $429 in Rawalpindi and $407 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.