Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Rahim Yar Khan Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Rahim Yar Khan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $429 in Rawalpindi versus $380 in Rahim Yar Khan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $679 in Rawalpindi versus $531 in Rahim Yar Khan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $929 in Rawalpindi versus $683 in Rahim Yar Khan.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 13% more expensive than Rahim Yar Khan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 68% lower, Rahim Yar Khan 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 PKR 496

$1.76 PKR 489

1.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,957

$8.74 PKR 2,430

62.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 PKR 1,470

$3.36 PKR 934

57.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 PKR 429

$1.73 PKR 481

-10.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 PKR 947

$3.16 PKR 880

7.59%

Cappuccino

$1.73 PKR 481

$0.84 PKR 233

105.95%

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

$0.32 PKR 88.9

$0.24 PKR 67.2

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.16 PKR 44.39

43.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.60 PKR 166

31.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.60 PKR 167

-5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 343

$1.08 PKR 300

13.89%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 311

$1.08 PKR 299

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 PKR 1,693

$4.22 PKR 1,175

44.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 944

$2.20 PKR 611

54.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 PKR 1,271

$3.12 PKR 868

46.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$0.87 PKR 241

17.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.72 PKR 199

-6.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 257

$0.58 PKR 161

58.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 132

$0.48 PKR 133

-2.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 93.2

$0.37 PKR 103

-10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.40 PKR 111

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 PKR 72.7

$0.56 PKR 157

-53.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.29 PKR 79.8

27.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.44 PKR 4,573

$1.78 PKR 495

823.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 PKR 288

$1.60 PKR 446

-35.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PKR 669

$1.85 PKR 515

30.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 528

$2.00 PKR 557

-5.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.37

$0.20 PKR 54.6

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 PKR 2,751

$6.90 PKR 1,918

43.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

$1.07 PKR 299

-14.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 97.5

$0.41 PKR 113

-14.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 PKR 826

$1.37 PKR 382

116.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 267

$0.93 PKR 259

3.23%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

-20.84%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$21.8K PKR 6.1M

4.34%

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

$100 PKR 28.0K

$104 PKR 29.1K

-3.83%

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

$3.99 PKR 1,111

$3.25 PKR 903

22.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.64 PKR 4,630

$13.99 PKR 3,892

18.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.14 PKR 2,821

$14.07 PKR 3,914

-27.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.67 PKR 2,135

$5.98 PKR 1,663

28.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.60 PKR 1,003

$2.61 PKR 726

37.93%

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

$39.75 PKR 11.1K

$17.53 PKR 4,878

126.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$962 PKR 267.7K

$886 PKR 246.4K

8.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.80 PKR 3,282

$12.17 PKR 3,386

-3.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.84 PKR 5,243

$21.01 PKR 5,844

-10.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$52.8 PKR 14.7K

66.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.38 PKR 7,897

$28.71 PKR 7,986

-1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 36.1K

$81.1 PKR 22.6K

59.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

$62.5 PKR 17.4K

6.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 PKR 90.1K

$110 PKR 30.7K

193.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$94.8 PKR 26.4K

82.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,173 PKR 326.4K

$975 PKR 271.2K

20.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$516 PKR 143.6K

$510 PKR 141.8K

1.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 PKR 47.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

17.43

15.72%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rahim Yar Khan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Rawalpindi and $81.1 in Rahim Yar Khan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Rawalpindi vs $9.00 in Rahim Yar Khan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $95.0 vs $75.0 per month, with Rahim Yar Khan 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 Rahim Yar Khan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rahim Yar Khan wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Rawalpindi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rahim Yar Khan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $644 in Rawalpindi and $569 in Rahim Yar Khan 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: $130 in Rawalpindi versus $81.1 in Rahim Yar Khan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Rawalpindi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Rahim Yar Khan – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $14.00 in Rawalpindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Rahim Yar Khan 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 Rahim Yar Khan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.