Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Shivamogga Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Shivamogga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $495 in Rawalpindi versus $353 in Shivamogga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $781 in Rawalpindi versus $571 in Shivamogga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,067 in Rawalpindi versus $790 in Shivamogga.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 40% more expensive than in Shivamogga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 64% lower, Shivamogga 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 PKR 569

$2.66 ₹254

-22.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.07 PKR 4,452

$13.32 ₹1,273

20.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 PKR 1,617

$4.68 ₹447

24.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 487

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 PKR 971

Cappuccino

$1.98 PKR 549

$1.20 ₹114

65.00%

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

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.36 ₹34.05

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.18 ₹17.61

38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₹108

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₹248

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 251

$0.49 ₹47.23

85.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 151

$0.41 ₹39.30

31.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$0.66 ₹62.7

86.36%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$0.88 ₹84.2

26.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 PKR 1,752

$3.90 ₹372

62.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 990

$2.83 ₹270

26.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.05 PKR 1,398

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 331

$1.68 ₹161

-28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.62 ₹58.8

35.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 338

$0.46 ₹43.66

165.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.38 ₹36.43

39.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.5

$0.30 ₹28.50

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.39 ₹36.95

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 84.9

$0.20 ₹19.06

55.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.30 ₹29.02

43.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.09 PKR 4,458

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 316

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 657

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$5.04 ₹482

-61.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.81 ₹650

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₹85.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₹266

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.86 ₹464

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 50.4

$0.14 ₹13.35

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,767

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.02 ₹97.2

-8.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 96.1

$0.31 ₹29.17

12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 PKR 861

$1.45 ₹138

114.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.10 ₹105

2.73%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$12.3K ₹1.2M

45.15%

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

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

$29.5K ₹2.8M

-18.17%

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

$113 PKR 31.2K

$21.23 ₹2,029

431.23%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,537

$2.47 ₹236

124.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 PKR 5,229

$7.71 ₹736

144.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.11 PKR 3,353

$7.51 ₹717

61.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 PKR 1,886

$2.14 ₹205

218.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,179

$2.28 ₹218

86.84%

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

$48.70 PKR 13.5K

$110 ₹10.5K

-55.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$833 PKR 230.7K

$1,704 ₹162.8K

-51.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.41 PKR 5,653

$32.68 ₹3,122

-37.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.85 PKR 7,992

$34.57 ₹3,303

-16.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 PKR 26.0K

$58.0 ₹5,540

61.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.19 PKR 10.0K

$27.38 ₹2,616

32.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.6K

$159 ₹15.2K

26.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.0 PKR 23.0K

$81.6 ₹7,793

1.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 PKR 118.6K

$317 ₹30.3K

35.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 PKR 62.6K

$192 ₹18.3K

17.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,170 PKR 324.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$507 PKR 140.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.0K

$340 ₹32.4K

-48.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

9.12

150.11%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Shivamogga: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Rawalpindi and $159 in Shivamogga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shivamogga pays 96% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $16.00 in Rawalpindi vs $13.00 in Shivamogga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $103 vs $87.0 per month, with Shivamogga 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 Shivamogga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi and Shivamogga differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($495 vs $353 including rent). Shivamogga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 96% lower in Shivamogga. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $201 in Rawalpindi versus $159 in Shivamogga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $48.70 in Rawalpindi versus $110 in Shivamogga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Shivamogga – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $16.00 in Rawalpindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Shivamogga 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.

Safety-wise, Rawalpindi and Shivamogga are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Shivamogga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.