Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Okara Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Okara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $495 per month in Rawalpindi vs $498 in Okara, rent included.

A couple spends around $781 per month in Rawalpindi vs $718 in Okara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,067 per month in Rawalpindi vs $939 in Okara, rent included.

Rawalpindi is about 1% cheaper than Okara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rawalpindi and Okara are more affordable than the global median – Rawalpindi 64% lower, Okara 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 PKR 569

$2.52 PKR 698

-18.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.07 PKR 4,452

$14.23 PKR 3,942

12.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 PKR 1,617

$5.56 PKR 1,539

5.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 487

$3.53 PKR 978

-50.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 PKR 971

$5.44 PKR 1,508

-35.66%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PKR 549

$2.58 PKR 715

-23.26%

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

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.39 PKR 108

12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.26 PKR 72.6

-3.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 251

$0.62 PKR 172

46.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 151

$0.67 PKR 186

-19.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$1.16 PKR 323

6.03%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.18 PKR 326

-5.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 PKR 1,752

$6.32 PKR 1,751

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 990

$2.53 PKR 702

41.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.05 PKR 1,398

$4.95 PKR 1,371

2.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 331

$1.22 PKR 339

-1.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.68 PKR 189

23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 338

$0.86 PKR 239

41.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.65 PKR 181

-18.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.5

$0.30 PKR 83.8

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.33 PKR 91.0

36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 84.9

$0.50 PKR 138

-38.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.37 PKR 102

16.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.09 PKR 4,458

$1.05 PKR 291

1432.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 316

$0.65 PKR 180

75.38%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 657

$1.73 PKR 479

36.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$2.14 PKR 592

-9.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 50.5

$0.19 PKR 52.9

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,767

$10.14 PKR 2,809

-1.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.89 PKR 245

4.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 96.1

$0.73 PKR 203

-52.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 PKR 861

$1.77 PKR 491

75.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 313

$0.93 PKR 256

21.51%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

1.02%

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

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

-7.86%

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

$113 PKR 31.2K

$130 PKR 36.1K

-13.35%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,537

$5.34 PKR 1,480

3.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 PKR 5,229

$16.58 PKR 4,594

13.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.11 PKR 3,354

$6.17 PKR 1,708

96.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 PKR 1,886

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,179

$4.25 PKR 1,176

0.24%

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

$48.70 PKR 13.5K

$14.66 PKR 4,061

232.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$833 PKR 230.8K

$1,987 PKR 550.4K

-58.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.41 PKR 5,653

$17.30 PKR 4,791

17.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.85 PKR 7,993

$26.97 PKR 7,470

6.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 PKR 26.0K

$75.6 PKR 20.9K

23.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.19 PKR 10.0K

$31.95 PKR 8,851

13.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.6K

$127 PKR 35.2K

57.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.0 PKR 23.0K

$78.1 PKR 21.6K

6.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 PKR 118.6K

$271 PKR 75.0K

58.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 PKR 62.6K

$130 PKR 36.0K

73.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,170 PKR 324.1K

$806 PKR 223.3K

45.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$507 PKR 140.5K

$489 PKR 135.3K

3.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.0K

$142 PKR 39.4K

21.84%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Okara: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $201 in Rawalpindi versus $127 in Okara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Rawalpindi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Rawalpindi versus $14.00 in Okara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $94.0 – making Okara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Okara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Okara is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $742 per month in Rawalpindi and $746 in Okara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rawalpindi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Okara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Rawalpindi and $14.00 in Okara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $495 in Rawalpindi and $498 in Okara, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Rawalpindi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Rawalpindi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Okara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.