Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Lahore Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Lahore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $429 in Rawalpindi versus $492 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $679 in Rawalpindi versus $746 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $929 in Rawalpindi versus $1,001 in Lahore.

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 13% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 68% lower, Lahore 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 PKR 496

$2.09 PKR 582

-14.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,957

$14.24 PKR 3,961

-0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 PKR 1,470

$4.27 PKR 1,189

23.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 PKR 429

$2.78 PKR 774

-44.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 PKR 947

$3.62 PKR 1,007

-6.08%

Cappuccino

$1.73 PKR 481

$2.34 PKR 651

-26.07%

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

$0.32 PKR 88.9

$0.36 PKR 99.3

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.23 PKR 64.0

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.89 PKR 247

-11.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.57 PKR 157

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 343

$1.17 PKR 324

5.13%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 311

$1.20 PKR 335

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 PKR 1,693

$6.11 PKR 1,700

-0.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 944

$3.05 PKR 849

11.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 PKR 1,271

$4.44 PKR 1,234

2.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.60 PKR 166

11.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 257

$0.60 PKR 168

53.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 132

$0.48 PKR 133

-2.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 93.2

$0.32 PKR 90.2

3.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.48 PKR 133

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 PKR 72.7

$0.44 PKR 123

-40.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.38 PKR 106

-2.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.44 PKR 4,573

$0.93 PKR 258

1667.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 PKR 288

$0.55 PKR 152

89.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PKR 669

$1.11 PKR 309

117.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 528

$1.99 PKR 555

-4.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.36

$0.19 PKR 52.7

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 PKR 2,751

$6.98 PKR 1,941

41.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.70 PKR 194

30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 97.5

$0.49 PKR 138

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 PKR 826

$1.78 PKR 496

66.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 267

$0.91 PKR 253

5.49%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

3.62%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

-4.26%

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

$100 PKR 28.0K

$138 PKR 38.3K

-27.02%

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

$3.99 PKR 1,111

$5.59 PKR 1,554

-28.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.64 PKR 4,630

$17.01 PKR 4,733

-2.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.14 PKR 2,821

$13.75 PKR 3,824

-26.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.67 PKR 2,134

$5.73 PKR 1,595

33.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.60 PKR 1,003

$4.34 PKR 1,206

-17.05%

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

$39.75 PKR 11.1K

$35.47 PKR 9,868

12.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$962 PKR 267.6K

$1,238 PKR 344.3K

-22.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.80 PKR 3,282

$14.98 PKR 4,168

-21.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.84 PKR 5,242

$22.69 PKR 6,311

-16.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$72.6 PKR 20.2K

20.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.38 PKR 7,896

$29.85 PKR 8,304

-4.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 36.1K

$118 PKR 32.9K

9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

$76.7 PKR 21.3K

-13.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 PKR 90.1K

$286 PKR 79.6K

13.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$188 PKR 52.2K

-7.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,173 PKR 326.4K

$843 PKR 234.4K

39.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$516 PKR 143.5K

$615 PKR 171.2K

-16.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 PKR 47.6K

$184 PKR 51.3K

-7.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

19.88

1.46%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lahore: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Rawalpindi and $118 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lahore pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Rawalpindi vs $14.00 in Lahore. Groceries flip the comparison at $95.0 vs $93.0, with Lahore cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi and Lahore differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($429 vs $492 including rent). Rawalpindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lahore earns 8% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $130 in Rawalpindi versus $118 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lahore pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Rawalpindi – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $14.00 in Lahore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Rawalpindi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Rawalpindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.