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: $394 in Thiruvananthapuram versus $504 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $625 in Thiruvananthapuram versus $786 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $855 in Thiruvananthapuram versus $1,069 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Thiruvananthapuram costs roughly 22% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Thiruvananthapuram 71% lower, Rawalpindi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.57 ₹243

$2.12 PKR 588

21.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.59 ₹1,001

$15.93 PKR 4,419

-33.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.01 ₹379

$5.89 PKR 1,634

-31.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 PKR 977

Cappuccino

$1.89 ₹179

$1.94 PKR 538

-2.58%

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

$0.41 ₹38.44

$0.44 PKR 122

-6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ₹19.15

$0.25 PKR 69.4

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ₹203

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₹253

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 ₹51.9

$0.90 PKR 250

-38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₹52.6

$0.55 PKR 152

1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.60 ₹56.4

$1.23 PKR 342

-51.22%

Eggs

$0.82 ₹77.2

$1.11 PKR 307

-26.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.29 ₹500

$6.16 PKR 1,710

-14.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.86 ₹270

$3.57 PKR 989

-19.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 PKR 1,447

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 ₹209

$1.14 PKR 316

93.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 ₹68.7

$0.86 PKR 237

-15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 ₹109

$1.23 PKR 340

-6.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹42.99

$0.57 PKR 158

-19.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.43

$0.36 PKR 99.4

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.34

$0.46 PKR 127

4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ₹48.76

$0.33 PKR 92.2

57.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₹28.42

$0.40 PKR 111

-25.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.28 PKR 4,518

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 332

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 PKR 682

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ₹407

$1.93 PKR 535

123.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 ₹494

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₹169

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₹297

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

$5.00 ₹472

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.86

$0.16 PKR 43.65

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.95 ₹279

$10.12 PKR 2,808

-70.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 ₹166

$0.91 PKR 254

93.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₹25.53

$0.38 PKR 104

-28.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 ₹246

$3.16 PKR 877

-17.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹104

$1.13 PKR 312

-2.65%

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

$10.5K ₹995.3K

$18.2K PKR 5.1M

-42.21%

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

$27.2K ₹2.6M

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

9.07%

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

$34.30 ₹3,240

$115 PKR 31.9K

-70.17%

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

$3.46 ₹327

$5.49 PKR 1,523

-36.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.04 ₹760

$18.67 PKR 5,178

-56.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.11 ₹1,333

$12.12 PKR 3,363

16.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.75 ₹732

$6.75 PKR 1,873

14.81%

Cinema Ticket

$2.13 ₹201

$4.28 PKR 1,188

-50.23%

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

$33.02 ₹3,120

$48.47 PKR 13.4K

-31.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,983 ₹187.4K

$844 PKR 234.1K

135.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.54 ₹1,940

$20.85 PKR 5,784

-1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.63 ₹1,854

$28.03 PKR 7,775

-29.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.75 ₹3,566

$91.0 PKR 25.2K

-58.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.98 ₹2,454

$36.28 PKR 10.1K

-28.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₹17.0K

$204 PKR 56.7K

-11.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.5 ₹9,208

$82.0 PKR 22.8K

18.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 ₹33.6K

$438 PKR 121.6K

-18.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 ₹20.5K

$225 PKR 62.5K

-3.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$667 ₹63.0K

$1,164 PKR 323.0K

-42.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$431 ₹40.7K

$512 PKR 142.1K

-15.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$238 ₹22.5K

$175 PKR 48.4K

36.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.64

22.81

-53.35%

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

Last update for Thiruvananthapuram: August 29, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Thiruvananthapuram and $204 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: $11.00 in Thiruvananthapuram vs $16.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $103 vs $103 per month, with Thiruvananthapuram 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

Thiruvananthapuram vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thiruvananthapuram and Rawalpindi differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($394 vs $504 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: $180 in Thiruvananthapuram versus $204 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 $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 $394 per month in Thiruvananthapuram versus $504 in Rawalpindi – a 28% 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 28% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.