Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Pakpattan Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Pakpattan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $504 per month in Rawalpindi vs $440 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A couple spends around $786 per month in Rawalpindi vs $624 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,069 per month in Rawalpindi vs $809 in Pakpattan, rent included.

Rawalpindi costs about 15% more than Pakpattan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rawalpindi and Pakpattan are more affordable than the global median – Rawalpindi 63% lower, Pakpattan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 PKR 588

$1.23 PKR 342

72.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.93 PKR 4,419

$10.64 PKR 2,951

49.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 PKR 1,634

$5.49 PKR 1,522

7.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

$2.77 PKR 769

-34.66%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 PKR 977

$5.13 PKR 1,423

-31.38%

Cappuccino

$1.94 PKR 538

$1.78 PKR 493

8.99%

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

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.17 PKR 47.09

158.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.11 PKR 30.37

127.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.63 PKR 176

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.51 PKR 143

7.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 342

$0.88 PKR 245

39.77%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 307

$1.09 PKR 304

1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 PKR 1,710

$7.25 PKR 2,010

-15.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 989

$2.45 PKR 680

45.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 PKR 1,447

$3.51 PKR 972

48.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 PKR 316

$0.89 PKR 246

28.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 237

$0.49 PKR 135

75.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$0.28 PKR 77.3

339.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.54 PKR 150

5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.4

$0.36 PKR 101

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 127

$0.43 PKR 119

6.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.2

$0.49 PKR 137

-32.65%

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 4,518

$1.81 PKR 503

799.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 332

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 PKR 682

$2.82 PKR 782

-12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$2.22 PKR 616

-13.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.65

$0.17 PKR 47.78

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 PKR 2,808

$10.09 PKR 2,800

0.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 254

$1.41 PKR 391

-35.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.38 PKR 105

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 PKR 877

$0.92 PKR 255

243.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 312

$1.01 PKR 281

11.88%

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

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

-27.10%

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

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

-6.15%

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

$115 PKR 31.9K

$147 PKR 40.7K

-21.65%

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

$5.49 PKR 1,523

$5.02 PKR 1,392

9.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 PKR 5,178

$19.41 PKR 5,386

-3.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.12 PKR 3,363

$15.09 PKR 4,187

-19.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.75 PKR 1,873

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,188

$4.43 PKR 1,228

-3.39%

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

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

$12.60 PKR 3,495

284.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$844 PKR 234.1K

$1,018 PKR 282.4K

-17.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.85 PKR 5,784

$10.68 PKR 2,962

95.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.03 PKR 7,775

$12.43 PKR 3,450

125.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

$25.16 PKR 6,979

261.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

$14.25 PKR 3,953

154.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 PKR 56.7K

$125 PKR 34.6K

63.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.0 PKR 22.8K

$77.5 PKR 21.5K

5.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 PKR 121.6K

$255 PKR 70.6K

72.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 PKR 62.5K

$146 PKR 40.6K

53.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,164 PKR 323.0K

$843 PKR 233.9K

38.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$512 PKR 142.1K

$483 PKR 133.9K

6.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.4K

$106 PKR 29.5K

64.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

75.46%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Last update for Pakpattan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $204 in Rawalpindi versus $125 in Pakpattan. 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 64% higher in Rawalpindi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Rawalpindi versus $11.00 in Pakpattan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $83.0 – making Pakpattan 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 Pakpattan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi costs about 15% more than Pakpattan, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $756 per month in Rawalpindi and $660 in Pakpattan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $48.47 per month in Rawalpindi and $12.60 in Pakpattan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Rawalpindi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $504 in Rawalpindi and $440 in Pakpattan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Pakpattan – 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 Pakpattan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rawalpindi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.