Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Quetta Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Quetta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $431 per month in Rawalpindi vs $346 in Quetta, rent included.

A couple spends around $665 per month in Rawalpindi vs $537 in Quetta, rent included.

A family of three spends $899 per month in Rawalpindi vs $728 in Quetta, rent included.

Rawalpindi costs about 24% more than Quetta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rawalpindi and Quetta are more affordable than the global median – Rawalpindi 68% lower, Quetta 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 PKR 497

$3.52 PKR 977

-49.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.27 PKR 3,959

$10.63 PKR 2,950

34.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 PKR 1,460

$4.38 PKR 1,216

20.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 PKR 445

$1.72 PKR 478

-6.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 950

$1.55 PKR 431

120.65%

Cappuccino

$1.66 PKR 460

$1.70 PKR 471

-2.35%

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

$0.34 PKR 95.5

$0.42 PKR 117

-19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$0.20 PKR 55.4

5.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.74 PKR 206

6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.46 PKR 128

21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$1.03 PKR 285

26.21%

Eggs

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.12 PKR 310

1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.98 PKR 1,660

$5.92 PKR 1,644

1.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 906

$2.58 PKR 716

26.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.47 PKR 1,240

$4.12 PKR 1,143

8.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.04 PKR 289

-1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.55 PKR 154

14.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$0.57 PKR 157

47.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 139

$0.48 PKR 133

4.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.31 PKR 87.2

19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.48 PKR 132

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 PKR 72.8

$0.35 PKR 98.5

-25.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.32 PKR 90.1

25.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.96 PKR 4,429

$1.45 PKR 402

1000.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 284

$0.34 PKR 93.1

200.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 658

$2.09 PKR 581

13.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 PKR 533

$0.69 PKR 192

178.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.6

$0.16 PKR 43.93

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 PKR 2,663

$5.23 PKR 1,453

83.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 235

$0.36 PKR 101

136.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.62 PKR 171

-48.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 PKR 858

$1.73 PKR 481

78.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 264

$0.97 PKR 268

-2.06%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-18.73%

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

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

$12.1K PKR 3.4M

88.58%

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

$101 PKR 28.0K

$52.6 PKR 14.6K

91.61%

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

$3.96 PKR 1,100

$6.41 PKR 1,778

-38.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.35 PKR 4,537

$14.32 PKR 3,975

14.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.86 PKR 2,736

$4.96 PKR 1,378

98.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.42 PKR 2,060

$5.76 PKR 1,600

28.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.57 PKR 990

$2.90 PKR 805

23.10%

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

$40.97 PKR 11.4K

$34.09 PKR 9,461

20.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$963 PKR 267.2K

$417 PKR 115.7K

130.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.74 PKR 3,258

$6.98 PKR 1,937

68.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.96 PKR 5,263

$7.24 PKR 2,010

161.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

$87.1 PKR 24.2K

3.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.12 PKR 8,081

$29.59 PKR 8,213

-1.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 36.9K

$69.8 PKR 19.4K

90.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.5 PKR 18.5K

$49.30 PKR 13.7K

34.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 PKR 92.8K

$159 PKR 44.1K

110.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$96.5 PKR 26.8K

79.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,133 PKR 314.6K

$376 PKR 104.2K

201.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$510 PKR 141.6K

$214 PKR 59.3K

138.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$176 PKR 48.7K

$271 PKR 75.3K

-35.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

68.08%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 26, 2026

Last update for Quetta: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $133 in Rawalpindi versus $69.8 in Quetta. 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 54% higher in Quetta, 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 $14.00 in Rawalpindi versus $11.00 in Quetta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $94.0 vs $84.0 – making Quetta 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 Quetta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rawalpindi is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $646 per month in Rawalpindi and $519 in Quetta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 11% more in Rawalpindi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Rawalpindi and $11.00 in Quetta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $431 in Rawalpindi and $346 in Quetta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Quetta – 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 Quetta. 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.