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: $503 in Rawalpindi versus $511 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $776 in Rawalpindi versus $783 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,050 in Rawalpindi versus $1,055 in Lahore.

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 2% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 64% lower, Lahore 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 580

$2.56 PKR 708

-18.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.42 PKR 4,548

$14.52 PKR 4,022

13.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 PKR 1,611

$5.64 PKR 1,563

3.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 PKR 511

$3.61 PKR 1,001

-49.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 PKR 963

$5.50 PKR 1,524

-36.73%

Cappuccino

$1.92 PKR 532

$2.66 PKR 738

-27.82%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.42 PKR 117

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.24 PKR 65.9

4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 PKR 239

$0.91 PKR 252

-5.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.68 PKR 188

-13.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 333

$1.22 PKR 338

-1.64%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 318

$1.22 PKR 338

-5.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 PKR 1,721

$6.37 PKR 1,764

-2.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 PKR 962

$2.51 PKR 696

38.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.18 PKR 1,436

$4.80 PKR 1,331

7.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 PKR 329

$1.16 PKR 322

2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.65 PKR 181

30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 352

$0.90 PKR 250

41.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.62 PKR 172

-8.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.30 PKR 83.5

26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.35 PKR 97.8

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.3

$0.46 PKR 128

-28.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 PKR 117

$0.36 PKR 100

16.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.90 PKR 4,406

$1.06 PKR 295

1400.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PKR 327

$0.64 PKR 178

84.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 677

$1.73 PKR 478

41.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 PKR 539

$2.13 PKR 590

-8.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 53.2

$0.17 PKR 46.22

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.07 PKR 2,789

$5.48 PKR 1,518

83.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.92 PKR 256

2.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 93.9

$0.74 PKR 205

-54.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 PKR 869

$1.83 PKR 508

71.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 PKR 323

$1.28 PKR 354

-8.59%

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

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

-0.50%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

$26.9K PKR 7.4M

-10.53%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$129 PKR 35.6K

-12.74%

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

$5.76 PKR 1,594

$5.08 PKR 1,408

13.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.29 PKR 5,067

$16.23 PKR 4,496

12.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.83 PKR 3,278

$21.31 PKR 5,905

-44.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.79 PKR 1,881

$11.03 PKR 3,056

-38.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 PKR 1,191

$4.39 PKR 1,217

-2.05%

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

$48.80 PKR 13.5K

$45.79 PKR 12.7K

6.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$852 PKR 235.9K

$1,968 PKR 545.1K

-56.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.89 PKR 5,787

$17.31 PKR 4,795

20.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.53 PKR 7,903

$26.36 PKR 7,302

8.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 PKR 25.9K

$74.1 PKR 20.5K

26.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.66 PKR 9,879

$31.11 PKR 8,619

14.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.7K

$159 PKR 44.1K

26.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.3 PKR 22.8K

$82.8 PKR 22.9K

-0.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 PKR 119.1K

$334 PKR 92.7K

28.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 PKR 62.6K

$197 PKR 54.7K

14.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,149 PKR 318.2K

$781 PKR 216.3K

47.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$517 PKR 143.2K

$597 PKR 165.3K

-13.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.0K

$190 PKR 52.7K

-8.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

14.28

59.73%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lahore: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Rawalpindi and $159 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lahore pays 10% 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: $16.00 in Rawalpindi vs $15.00 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $103 vs $96.0 per month, with Lahore cheaper across the board.

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 2% in total monthly costs ($503 vs $511 including rent). Rawalpindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Lahore. 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: $201 in Rawalpindi versus $159 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lahore pay roughly 7% 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 $16.00 versus $15.00 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 2% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.