Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Lahore

For one person, living is cheaper in Rawalpindi: $504 a month against $520 in Lahore, rent and utilities included – about $190 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lahore outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

24

Cost of Living Index in Rawalpindi
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Rawalpindi Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Lahore
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Lahore Living Index

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Rawalpindi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$504

/mo nomad

Lahore

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$520

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rawalpindi and in Lahore

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rawalpindi and in Lahore actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $504 in Rawalpindi versus $520 in Lahore.

Rawalpindi $504
Lahore $520

Estimated couple costs with rent: $787 in Rawalpindi versus $787 in Lahore.

Rawalpindi $787
Lahore $787

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,069 in Rawalpindi versus $1,053 in Lahore.

Rawalpindi $1,069
Lahore $1,053

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 3% less than in Lahore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 63% lower, Lahore 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 PKR 584

$2.59 PKR 716

-18.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.10 PKR 4,454

$14.71 PKR 4,071

9.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 PKR 1,680

$5.80 PKR 1,604

4.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 PKR 492

$3.60 PKR 995

-50.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 PKR 963

$5.29 PKR 1,462

-34.22%

Cappuccino

$2.01 PKR 556

$2.50 PKR 693

-19.60%

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

$0.40 PKR 112

$0.40 PKR 111

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.1

$0.26 PKR 72.2

-11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 PKR 241

$0.98 PKR 271

-11.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 162

$0.74 PKR 206

-20.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.18 PKR 327

2.54%

Eggs

$1.10 PKR 303

$1.20 PKR 333

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 PKR 1,729

$6.14 PKR 1,699

1.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 PKR 983

$2.54 PKR 703

39.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.94 PKR 1,366

$4.74 PKR 1,311

4.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 333

$1.19 PKR 330

0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 242

$0.65 PKR 180

33.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 336

$0.83 PKR 230

45.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.64 PKR 176

-18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.29 PKR 78.9

34.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 127

$0.36 PKR 98.9

27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 87.1

$0.48 PKR 133

-35.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.35 PKR 96.8

14.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.44 PKR 4,550

$1.05 PKR 291

1465.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 PKR 321

$0.65 PKR 179

78.46%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PKR 667

$1.65 PKR 457

46.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 PKR 564

$2.15 PKR 594

-5.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 53.9

$0.18 PKR 50.6

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.06 PKR 2,783

$6.42 PKR 1,777

56.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 PKR 240

$0.93 PKR 256

-6.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 95.5

$0.70 PKR 194

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 PKR 860

$1.77 PKR 491

75.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 PKR 342

$1.39 PKR 384

-10.79%

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

$19.3K PKR 5.3M

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

7.40%

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

$23.6K PKR 6.5M

$24.3K PKR 6.7M

-2.88%

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

$115 PKR 31.7K

$126 PKR 35.0K

-9.33%

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

$5.61 PKR 1,551

$5.47 PKR 1,513

2.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.35 PKR 5,078

$16.39 PKR 4,535

11.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.01 PKR 3,322

$20.48 PKR 5,665

-41.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.28 PKR 2,015

$11.32 PKR 3,131

-35.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 PKR 1,175

$4.35 PKR 1,203

-2.30%

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

$48.77 PKR 13.5K

$74.0 PKR 20.5K

-34.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,056 PKR 292.3K

$2,052 PKR 567.6K

-48.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.54 PKR 4,852

$18.12 PKR 5,014

-3.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.61 PKR 9,022

$28.03 PKR 7,757

16.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 PKR 25.9K

$74.5 PKR 20.6K

25.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.98 PKR 9,956

$33.44 PKR 9,252

7.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$183 PKR 50.6K

$167 PKR 46.3K

9.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.2 PKR 24.1K

$95.1 PKR 26.3K

-8.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 PKR 109.5K

$359 PKR 99.2K

10.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 PKR 61.2K

$206 PKR 57.1K

7.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,007 PKR 278.6K

$827 PKR 228.9K

21.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$434 PKR 120.2K

$568 PKR 157.2K

-23.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$174 PKR 48.0K

$198 PKR 54.9K

-12.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

14.05

62.35%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: October 24, 2026

Last update for Lahore: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rawalpindi

$139 27.5%

Lahore

$148 28.5% 7% $9.7

Groceries & Markets

Rawalpindi

$102 20.2%

Lahore

$96 18.5% 5.7% $5.8

Accommodation & Living

Rawalpindi

$87 17.3%

Lahore

$95 18.3% 9% $7.9

Clothing & Footwear

Rawalpindi

$81 16%

Lahore

$69 13.3% 14.3% $12

Eating Out

Rawalpindi

$62 12.2%

Lahore

$71 13.6% 14.7% $9.1

Sport & Entertainment

Rawalpindi

$21 4.1%

Lahore

$29 5.6% 42.3% $8.7

Getting Around

Rawalpindi

$13 2.7%

Lahore

$12 2.2% 13.8% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $183 in Rawalpindi and $167 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lahore pays 14% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $16 in Rawalpindi vs $15 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $102 vs $96 per month, with Lahore cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Rawalpindi

🇵🇰 Lahore

🕒 Local time

20:11 8:11 PM

Same time as Rawalpindi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,098,231

11,126,285

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $504 in Rawalpindi and $520 in Lahore, so Rawalpindi is about 3% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Rawalpindi. 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: $183 in Rawalpindi versus $167 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lahore pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Lahore – a meal for two runs $15 versus $16 in Rawalpindi. 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.

It comes down to priorities – Rawalpindi wins on affordability, Lahore on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.