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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $375 in Thiruvananthapuram versus $437 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $604 in Thiruvananthapuram versus $671 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $832 in Thiruvananthapuram versus $905 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Thiruvananthapuram costs roughly 14% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Thiruvananthapuram 72% lower, Rawalpindi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 ₹226

$1.82 PKR 505

28.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.93 ₹1,343

$13.95 PKR 3,873

-0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.32 ₹417

$5.40 PKR 1,499

-20.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 PKR 433

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 PKR 980

Cappuccino

$1.77 ₹171

$1.71 PKR 474

3.51%

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

$0.33 ₹32.07

$0.31 PKR 87.1

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ₹20.18

$0.23 PKR 63.9

-8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 ₹164

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₹325

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 ₹57.0

$0.86 PKR 239

-31.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹52.4

$0.53 PKR 146

1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.62 ₹59.8

$1.30 PKR 361

-52.31%

Eggs

$0.92 ₹88.7

$1.12 PKR 312

-17.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.67 ₹547

$6.03 PKR 1,674

-5.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.44 ₹235

$3.43 PKR 953

-28.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.40 PKR 1,221

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 ₹238

$1.01 PKR 280

144.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.7

$0.69 PKR 191

13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ₹122

$0.85 PKR 236

49.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.5

$0.47 PKR 129

36.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹49.28

$0.34 PKR 94.1

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₹57.4

$0.52 PKR 145

13.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹46.28

$0.24 PKR 66.0

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₹28.95

$0.39 PKR 109

-23.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.04 PKR 4,454

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 PKR 274

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PKR 666

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 ₹338

$1.91 PKR 531

83.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 ₹495

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₹141

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ₹266

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

$4.97 ₹480

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 ₹16.49

$0.20 PKR 56.1

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.43 ₹620

$9.52 PKR 2,645

-32.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 ₹96.8

$0.86 PKR 240

16.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 PKR 89.7

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 ₹164

$2.92 PKR 811

-41.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₹120

$0.97 PKR 270

27.84%

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

$18.3K ₹1.8M

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

3.60%

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

$21.5K ₹2.1M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

-5.65%

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

$28.39 ₹2,738

$104 PKR 28.8K

-72.62%

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

$3.52 ₹340

$4.04 PKR 1,121

-12.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.57 ₹730

$16.63 PKR 4,618

-54.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.42 ₹1,583

$9.97 PKR 2,768

64.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.57 ₹1,116

$7.43 PKR 2,062

55.72%

Cinema Ticket

$2.29 ₹221

$3.47 PKR 964

-34.01%

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

$29.93 ₹2,886

$40.20 PKR 11.2K

-25.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,946 ₹187.7K

$948 PKR 263.3K

105.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.10 ₹1,745

$11.90 PKR 3,304

52.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.14 ₹1,557

$18.45 PKR 5,124

-12.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.13 ₹3,291

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

-61.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$22.06 ₹2,127

$29.00 PKR 8,052

-23.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$144 ₹13.8K

$133 PKR 36.8K

8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.3 ₹8,607

$65.1 PKR 18.1K

37.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 ₹27.2K

$330 PKR 91.6K

-14.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 ₹17.0K

$171 PKR 47.4K

3.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$684 ₹65.9K

$1,176 PKR 326.5K

-41.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$418 ₹40.3K

$518 PKR 143.8K

-19.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$238 ₹22.9K

$175 PKR 48.5K

36.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

-40.51%

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

Last update for Thiruvananthapuram: July 11, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $144 in Thiruvananthapuram and $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thiruvananthapuram pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Thiruvananthapuram vs $14.00 in Rawalpindi. Groceries flip the comparison at $103 vs $95.0, 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

Thiruvananthapuram vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thiruvananthapuram and Rawalpindi differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($375 vs $437 including rent). Thiruvananthapuram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 36% higher in Thiruvananthapuram, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $144 in Thiruvananthapuram versus $133 in Rawalpindi. 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 $14.00 versus $14.00 in Rawalpindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $375 per month in Thiruvananthapuram versus $437 in Rawalpindi – a 17% 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, Thiruvananthapuram and Rawalpindi 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 17% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.