Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Malda Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Malda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $427 in Rawalpindi versus $542 in Malda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $665 in Rawalpindi versus $680 in Malda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $902 in Rawalpindi versus $819 in Malda.

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 21% less than in Malda, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 68% lower, Malda 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 PKR 485

$3.16 ₹301

-44.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.18 PKR 3,942

$11.53 ₹1,097

22.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 PKR 1,441

$3.42 ₹326

51.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 PKR 435

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 951

Cappuccino

$1.67 PKR 464

$1.88 ₹179

-11.17%

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

$0.34 PKR 95.4

$0.38 ₹35.69

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.1

$0.13 ₹12.13

61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₹169

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₹280

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 PKR 221

$0.58 ₹55.3

37.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.43 ₹40.51

30.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 358

$0.53 ₹50.7

143.40%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 326

$0.80 ₹76.5

46.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PKR 1,690

$5.32 ₹506

14.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 PKR 926

$2.61 ₹248

27.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.52 PKR 1,256

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 275

$2.42 ₹231

-59.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 PKR 178

$0.79 ₹74.9

-18.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 256

$1.25 ₹119

-26.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.66 ₹62.4

-22.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.30 ₹28.71

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$0.33 ₹31.47

48.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.44 ₹42.03

-45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.15 ₹14.12

166.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.38 PKR 4,554

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 285

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 PKR 635

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 530

$4.06 ₹386

-53.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 ₹792

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₹165

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₹239

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$2.41 ₹230

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.9

$0.28 ₹26.42

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.52 PKR 2,646

$8.84 ₹841

7.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.59 ₹56.4

42.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 PKR 91.0

$0.30 ₹28.65

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 PKR 854

$2.07 ₹197

48.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 254

$1.18 ₹113

-22.88%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.9M

$15.7K ₹1.5M

11.29%

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

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

$22.5K ₹2.1M

1.74%

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

$100 PKR 27.9K

$41.81 ₹3,976

139.85%

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

$4.12 PKR 1,146

$4.04 ₹384

1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.38 PKR 4,555

$5.91 ₹562

177.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.15 PKR 2,821

$16.14 ₹1,535

-37.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 PKR 2,150

$6.95 ₹661

11.22%

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 PKR 1,005

$4.10 ₹390

-11.95%

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

$40.70 PKR 11.3K

$43.41 ₹4,128

-6.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$965 PKR 268.4K

$1,569 ₹149.2K

-38.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.77 PKR 3,273

$8.13 ₹773

44.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.65 PKR 5,184

$8.10 ₹770

130.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 PKR 25.0K

$48.72 ₹4,633

84.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.17 PKR 7,832

$9.10 ₹865

209.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 37.0K

$291 ₹27.6K

-54.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.5 PKR 18.2K

$229 ₹21.8K

-71.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 PKR 92.6K

$403 ₹38.4K

-17.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 PKR 47.9K

$178 ₹17.0K

-3.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 PKR 314.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 142.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

9.9

103.74%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 6, 2026

Last update for Malda: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Rawalpindi and $291 in Malda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Rawalpindi vs $12.00 in Malda. Groceries flip the comparison at $95.0 vs $105, with Rawalpindi 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 Malda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $641 in Rawalpindi and $813 in Malda to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $133 in Rawalpindi versus $291 in Malda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Malda. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Rawalpindi – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $12.00 in Malda. 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 27% less than in Malda. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.