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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $437 per month in Rawalpindi vs $399 in Karak, rent included.

A couple spends around $671 per month in Rawalpindi vs $580 in Karak, rent included.

A family of three spends $905 per month in Rawalpindi vs $760 in Karak, rent included.

Rawalpindi costs about 10% more than Karak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rawalpindi and Karak are more affordable than the global median – Rawalpindi 67% lower, Karak 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 PKR 505

$0.69 PKR 192

163.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.95 PKR 3,873

$6.88 PKR 1,909

102.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.40 PKR 1,499

$5.45 PKR 1,514

-0.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 PKR 433

$0.69 PKR 193

126.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 PKR 980

$4.00 PKR 1,112

-11.75%

Cappuccino

$1.71 PKR 474

$0.51 PKR 142

235.29%

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

$0.31 PKR 87.1

$0.37 PKR 102

-16.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.9

$0.22 PKR 61.0

4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 PKR 239

$1.01 PKR 280

-14.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.54 PKR 151

-1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$1.08 PKR 300

20.37%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 312

$1.08 PKR 300

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 PKR 1,674

$1.72 PKR 478

250.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 PKR 953

$2.76 PKR 767

24.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.40 PKR 1,221

$4.28 PKR 1,189

2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 PKR 280

$0.72 PKR 200

40.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$0.51 PKR 141

35.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.73 PKR 203

16.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 129

$0.59 PKR 164

-20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 94.1

$0.39 PKR 107

-12.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.54 PKR 150

-3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.0

$0.19 PKR 52.6

26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 109

$0.24 PKR 66.2

62.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.04 PKR 4,454

$1.42 PKR 393

1029.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 PKR 274

$0.88 PKR 243

12.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PKR 666

$2.03 PKR 565

18.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 PKR 531

$2.17 PKR 602

-11.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.1

$0.20 PKR 56.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.52 PKR 2,645

$7.02 PKR 1,948

35.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 240

$0.85 PKR 235

1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 PKR 89.7

$0.41 PKR 113

-21.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 PKR 811

$2.89 PKR 803

1.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 270

$0.96 PKR 267

1.04%

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

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

-18.38%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

-14.52%

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

$104 PKR 28.8K

$111 PKR 30.8K

-6.49%

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

$4.04 PKR 1,121

$5.58 PKR 1,549

-27.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.63 PKR 4,618

$18.84 PKR 5,232

-11.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.97 PKR 2,768

$12.33 PKR 3,425

-19.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 PKR 2,062

$5.91 PKR 1,640

25.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 PKR 964

$4.21 PKR 1,169

-17.58%

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

$40.20 PKR 11.2K

$60.6 PKR 16.8K

-33.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$948 PKR 263.3K

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

-14.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.90 PKR 3,304

$21.53 PKR 5,979

-44.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.45 PKR 5,124

$28.08 PKR 7,796

-34.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

$88.5 PKR 24.6K

1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.00 PKR 8,052

$40.05 PKR 11.1K

-27.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 36.8K

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

76.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.1 PKR 18.1K

$52.1 PKR 14.5K

25.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 PKR 91.6K

$166 PKR 46.2K

98.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 PKR 47.4K

$105 PKR 29.2K

62.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 PKR 326.5K

$1,009 PKR 280.1K

16.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$518 PKR 143.8K

$434 PKR 120.5K

19.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.5K

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Karak: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $133 in Rawalpindi versus $75.1 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 10% 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 $656 per month in Rawalpindi and $599 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 36% less in Karak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $40.20 per month in Rawalpindi and $60.6 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 $437 in Rawalpindi and $399 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.