Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Thiruvananthapuram Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Thiruvananthapuram

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $503 in Rawalpindi versus $403 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $776 in Rawalpindi versus $630 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,050 in Rawalpindi versus $857 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 25% more expensive than in Thiruvananthapuram, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 64% lower, Thiruvananthapuram 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 580

$2.71 ₹259

-22.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.42 PKR 4,548

$10.54 ₹1,007

55.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 PKR 1,611

$3.71 ₹354

56.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 PKR 511

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 PKR 963

Cappuccino

$1.92 PKR 532

$1.94 ₹185

-1.03%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.40 ₹37.83

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.19 ₹18.07

31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₹204

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 ₹247

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 PKR 239

$0.53 ₹50.5

62.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.55 ₹52.1

7.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 333

$0.60 ₹57.6

100.00%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 318

$0.83 ₹79.2

38.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 PKR 1,721

$5.33 ₹509

16.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 PKR 962

$2.68 ₹256

29.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.18 PKR 1,436

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 PKR 329

$2.34 ₹223

-49.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.77 ₹73.4

10.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 352

$1.21 ₹116

4.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.46 ₹43.48

23.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.45 ₹42.84

-15.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.47 ₹44.67

4.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.3

$0.55 ₹52.7

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 PKR 117

$0.29 ₹27.57

44.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.90 PKR 4,406

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PKR 327

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 677

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 PKR 539

$4.42 ₹422

-56.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.34 ₹510

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₹176

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₹300

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

$4.84 ₹462

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 53.2

$0.20 ₹19.10

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.07 PKR 2,789

$2.94 ₹280

242.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 PKR 261

$1.76 ₹168

-46.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 93.9

$0.25 ₹23.65

36.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 PKR 869

$2.59 ₹247

21.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 PKR 323

$1.16 ₹110

0.86%

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

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

$14.0K ₹1.3M

26.36%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

$30.8K ₹2.9M

-22.07%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$35.21 ₹3,364

218.60%

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

$5.76 PKR 1,594

$3.43 ₹327

67.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.29 PKR 5,067

$7.60 ₹726

140.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.83 PKR 3,278

$14.32 ₹1,368

-17.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.79 PKR 1,881

$7.55 ₹721

-10.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 PKR 1,191

$2.13 ₹204

101.88%

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

$48.80 PKR 13.5K

$38.23 ₹3,652

27.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$852 PKR 235.9K

$2,130 ₹203.5K

-60.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.89 PKR 5,787

$21.42 ₹2,047

-2.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.53 PKR 7,903

$17.86 ₹1,706

59.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 PKR 25.9K

$36.59 ₹3,496

155.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.66 PKR 9,879

$27.76 ₹2,652

28.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.7K

$180 ₹17.2K

11.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.3 PKR 22.8K

$101 ₹9,662

-18.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 PKR 119.1K

$356 ₹34.0K

20.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 PKR 62.6K

$214 ₹20.4K

5.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,149 PKR 318.2K

$867 ₹82.8K

32.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$517 PKR 143.2K

$455 ₹43.4K

13.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.0K

$246 ₹23.5K

-29.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

10.31

121.24%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 7, 2026

Last update for Thiruvananthapuram: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Rawalpindi and $180 in Thiruvananthapuram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thiruvananthapuram pays 42% 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 $11.00 in Thiruvananthapuram. Groceries flip the comparison at $103 vs $103, with Rawalpindi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Thiruvananthapuram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi and Thiruvananthapuram differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($503 vs $403 including rent). Thiruvananthapuram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Thiruvananthapuram. 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 $180 in Thiruvananthapuram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Thiruvananthapuram – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $16.00 in Rawalpindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $503 per month in Rawalpindi versus $403 in Thiruvananthapuram – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Thiruvananthapuram 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 Thiruvananthapuram 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 Thiruvananthapuram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.