Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Mirpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Mirpur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $504 in Rawalpindi versus $365 in Mirpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $786 in Rawalpindi versus $554 in Mirpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,069 in Rawalpindi versus $743 in Mirpur.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 38% more expensive than in Mirpur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 63% lower, Mirpur 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 PKR 588

$1.78 PKR 492

19.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.93 PKR 4,416

$7.42 PKR 2,058

114.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 PKR 1,633

$5.43 PKR 1,506

8.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

$1.11 PKR 308

63.06%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 PKR 976

$1.78 PKR 494

97.75%

Cappuccino

$1.94 PKR 538

$1.10 PKR 304

76.36%

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

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.47 PKR 130

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.20 PKR 54.3

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.84 PKR 233

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.59 PKR 163

-6.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 342

$1.21 PKR 335

1.65%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 307

$1.19 PKR 330

-6.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 PKR 1,708

$3.52 PKR 976

75.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 988

$2.66 PKR 736

34.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 PKR 1,446

$3.95 PKR 1,094

32.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.08 PKR 301

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 237

$0.62 PKR 172

38.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$0.53 PKR 148

132.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.51 PKR 140

11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.3

$0.30 PKR 84.3

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 127

$0.30 PKR 83.6

53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.1

$0.30 PKR 83.6

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.37 PKR 104

8.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.28 PKR 4,515

$1.79 PKR 496

809.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 332

$1.05 PKR 292

14.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 PKR 681

$2.83 PKR 785

-13.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$2.02 PKR 560

-4.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.62

$0.17 PKR 45.81

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 PKR 2,807

$9.78 PKR 2,713

3.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

$1.10 PKR 306

-17.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.21 PKR 58.1

80.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 PKR 876

$2.97 PKR 822

6.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 312

$0.98 PKR 273

15.31%

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

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

$8,886 PKR 2.5M

105.14%

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

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

$14.5K PKR 4.0M

72.55%

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

$115 PKR 31.9K

$68.2 PKR 18.9K

68.61%

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

$5.49 PKR 1,522

$5.72 PKR 1,585

-4.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 PKR 5,175

$14.71 PKR 4,078

26.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.12 PKR 3,361

$15.03 PKR 4,167

-19.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.75 PKR 1,872

$3.64 PKR 1,010

85.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,187

$3.55 PKR 983

20.56%

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

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

$26.62 PKR 7,382

82.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$844 PKR 234.0K

$2,058 PKR 570.6K

-59.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.85 PKR 5,780

$17.76 PKR 4,925

17.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.03 PKR 7,771

$18.12 PKR 5,025

54.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

$36.39 PKR 10.1K

150.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

$28.79 PKR 7,981

26.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 PKR 56.7K

$127 PKR 35.1K

61.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.0 PKR 22.7K

$78.5 PKR 21.8K

4.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 PKR 121.5K

$255 PKR 70.8K

71.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 PKR 62.5K

$151 PKR 41.9K

48.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,164 PKR 322.8K

$863 PKR 239.3K

34.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$512 PKR 142.1K

$499 PKR 138.4K

2.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.4K

$145 PKR 40.2K

20.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

11.83

92.81%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Last update for Mirpur: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $204 in Rawalpindi and $127 in Mirpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rawalpindi pays 20% 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 $7.00 in Mirpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $103 vs $81.0 per month, with Mirpur 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 Mirpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi and Mirpur differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($504 vs $365 including rent). Mirpur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% higher in Rawalpindi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $204 in Rawalpindi versus $127 in Mirpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $504 per month in Rawalpindi versus $365 in Mirpur – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mirpur runs roughly 3% less than in Rawalpindi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Mirpur 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 Mirpur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.