Karachi vs Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi leads Karachi by 2 points on the CIRA Index, 47 to 45. Karachi grades better on 3 measures, Rawalpindi on 2; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Karachi 45, Rawalpindi 47
• OECD: Karachi 43, Rawalpindi 46
• UN Tourism: Karachi 45, Rawalpindi 54
• UNDRR: Karachi 30, Rawalpindi 37

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Karachi 56, Rawalpindi 67
• Economy and jobs: Karachi 63, Rawalpindi 56
• Climate and hazards: Karachi 20, Rawalpindi 25
• Water and environment: Karachi 31, Rawalpindi 44
• Community and housing: Karachi 50, Rawalpindi 50
• Access and continuity: Karachi 38, Rawalpindi 38

Where Karachi is stronger

• Average length of stay: 6.2 nights per visitor (AirROI, Karachi, Sindh Airbnb Data 2026: Occupancy, Revenue & STR Market Report, August 2025 – July 2026). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 5.1 % of the labour force (region figure) (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Labour Force Survey 2024-25, 2024–2025). Between 5 and 8: grade 3/4.
• Extreme heat days: 27.2 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 15 and 30: grade 2/4.

Where Rawalpindi is stronger

• Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Green space: 25.2 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (metro figure) (AI Geo Navigators, Urban Heat Island & Urbanization in Islamabad & Rawalpindi, 2020–2024). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Pakistan: #95 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Pakistan: #95 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Karachi in full · Rawalpindi in full

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