Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Sahiwal Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Sahiwal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $495 in Rawalpindi versus $508 in Sahiwal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $781 in Rawalpindi versus $739 in Sahiwal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,067 in Rawalpindi versus $970 in Sahiwal.

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 3% less than in Sahiwal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 64% lower, Sahiwal 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 PKR 569

$2.58 PKR 716

-20.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.07 PKR 4,451

$14.50 PKR 4,015

10.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 PKR 1,617

$5.43 PKR 1,503

7.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 487

$3.70 PKR 1,024

-52.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 PKR 971

$5.36 PKR 1,486

-34.70%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PKR 549

$2.66 PKR 737

-25.56%

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

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.43 PKR 118

2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.24 PKR 66.3

4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 251

$0.88 PKR 243

3.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 151

$0.67 PKR 184

-19.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$1.21 PKR 334

1.65%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.21 PKR 334

-8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 PKR 1,752

$6.40 PKR 1,773

-1.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 990

$2.56 PKR 710

39.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.05 PKR 1,397

$4.96 PKR 1,375

1.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 331

$1.17 PKR 324

2.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.64 PKR 177

31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 338

$0.84 PKR 232

45.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.67 PKR 186

-20.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.4

$0.30 PKR 84.1

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.32 PKR 89.6

40.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 84.9

$0.50 PKR 139

-38.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.34 PKR 93.4

26.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.09 PKR 4,457

$1.06 PKR 294

1417.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 316

$0.65 PKR 180

75.38%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 657

$1.73 PKR 480

36.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$2.23 PKR 619

-13.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 50.4

$0.17 PKR 45.74

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,767

$9.89 PKR 2,741

1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.94 PKR 259

-1.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 96.1

$0.68 PKR 190

-48.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 PKR 861

$1.82 PKR 504

70.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.31 PKR 364

-13.74%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

1.20%

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

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

$26.4K PKR 7.3M

-8.50%

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

$113 PKR 31.2K

$130 PKR 36.0K

-13.30%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,537

$5.29 PKR 1,466

4.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 PKR 5,229

$16.48 PKR 4,565

14.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.11 PKR 3,353

$15.78 PKR 4,370

-23.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 PKR 1,886

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,179

$4.23 PKR 1,173

0.71%

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

$48.70 PKR 13.5K

$46.55 PKR 12.9K

4.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$833 PKR 230.7K

$1,968 PKR 545.1K

-57.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.41 PKR 5,652

$17.31 PKR 4,795

17.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.85 PKR 7,992

$27.13 PKR 7,513

6.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 PKR 25.9K

$75.7 PKR 21.0K

23.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.19 PKR 10.0K

$31.91 PKR 8,839

13.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.6K

$140 PKR 38.7K

43.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.0 PKR 23.0K

$67.0 PKR 18.6K

23.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 PKR 118.6K

$241 PKR 66.8K

77.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 PKR 62.6K

$168 PKR 46.5K

34.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,170 PKR 324.0K

$800 PKR 221.5K

46.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$507 PKR 140.5K

$512 PKR 141.8K

-0.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

14.28

59.73%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sahiwal: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Rawalpindi and $140 in Sahiwal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16.00 in Rawalpindi vs $14.00 in Sahiwal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $103 vs $96.0 per month, with Sahiwal 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 Sahiwal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi and Sahiwal differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($495 vs $508 including rent). Rawalpindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $742 in Rawalpindi and $761 in Sahiwal to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $201 in Rawalpindi versus $140 in Sahiwal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rawalpindi – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $14.00 in Sahiwal. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $495 per month in Rawalpindi versus $508 in Sahiwal – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Rawalpindi 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.

Expats usually find Rawalpindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Sahiwal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.