Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Sheikhupura

For one person, living is cheaper in Rawalpindi: $503 a month against $520 in Sheikhupura, rent and utilities included – about $200 less a year. The total is higher in Sheikhupura despite lower rent and utilities.

Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Sheikhupura, Pakistan
Rawalpindi
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$503
/mo nomad
Sheikhupura
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$520
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rawalpindi and in Sheikhupura

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rawalpindi and in Sheikhupura actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $503 in Rawalpindi versus $520 in Sheikhupura.

  • Rawalpindi $503
  • Sheikhupura $520

Estimated couple costs with rent: $788 in Rawalpindi versus $819 in Sheikhupura.

  • Rawalpindi $788
  • Sheikhupura $819

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,072 in Rawalpindi versus $1,119 in Sheikhupura.

  • Rawalpindi $1,072
  • Sheikhupura $1,119

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 3% less than in Sheikhupura, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 63% lower, Sheikhupura 62% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rawalpindi
Sheikhupura
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.09 PKR 579
$3.57 PKR 986
-41.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.18 PKR 4,477
$23.07 PKR 6,381
-29.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.03 PKR 1,668
$5.55 PKR 1,534
8.65%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.76 PKR 487
$3.53 PKR 976
-50.14%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 PKR 962
$6.94 PKR 1,920
-49.86%
Cappuccino
$1.94 PKR 537
$2.55 PKR 707
-23.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 PKR 122
$0.32 PKR 88.3
37.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 PKR 69.5
$0.21 PKR 58.0
19.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rawalpindi
Sheikhupura
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.91 PKR 253
$0.99 PKR 274
-8.08%
White Bread (500g)
$0.59 PKR 164
$0.74 PKR 204
-20.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.24 PKR 343
$1.26 PKR 348
-1.59%
Eggs
$1.14 PKR 314
$1.28 PKR 353
-10.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.38 PKR 1,765
$6.00 PKR 1,660
6.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.54 PKR 979
$3.02 PKR 836
17.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.19 PKR 1,437
$5.34 PKR 1,476
-2.81%
Apples (1kg)
$1.18 PKR 327
$1.29 PKR 356
-8.53%
Banana (1kg)
$0.89 PKR 246
$0.87 PKR 239
2.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.24 PKR 343
$1.07 PKR 295
15.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.58 PKR 160
$0.53 PKR 146
9.43%
Potato (1kg)
$0.35 PKR 97.6
$0.27 PKR 74.0
29.63%
Onion (1kg)
$0.48 PKR 133
$0.38 PKR 106
26.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 PKR 95.5
$0.30 PKR 83.8
16.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39 PKR 108
$0.39 PKR 109
-
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$16.25 PKR 4,497
$1.86 PKR 515
773.66%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 PKR 336
$1.23 PKR 342
-0.81%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 PKR 688
$2.42 PKR 670
2.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.97 PKR 546
$2.34 PKR 646
-15.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Rawalpindi
Sheikhupura
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.17 PKR 46.98
$0.19 PKR 51.6
-10.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.81 PKR 2,712
$9.90 PKR 2,740
-0.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.87 PKR 241
$1.28 PKR 355
-32.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.38 PKR 104
$0.68 PKR 189
-44.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.99 PKR 828
$1.61 PKR 446
85.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.19 PKR 329
$1.36 PKR 377
-12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.1K PKR 5.3M
$21.3K PKR 5.9M
-10.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K PKR 6.5M
$23.1K PKR 6.4M
1.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rawalpindi
Sheikhupura
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$112 PKR 31.1K
$101 PKR 28.0K
11.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.60 PKR 1,549
$5.94 PKR 1,644
-5.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.77 PKR 5,192
$16.74 PKR 4,631
12.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rawalpindi
Sheikhupura
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$12.23 PKR 3,384
$14.72 PKR 4,073
-16.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.62 PKR 2,109
$8.23 PKR 2,276
-7.41%
Cinema Ticket
$4.25 PKR 1,175
$4.76 PKR 1,315
-10.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rawalpindi
Sheikhupura
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$49.55 PKR 13.7K
$43.17 PKR 11.9K
14.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,057 PKR 292.3K
$1,052 PKR 291.1K
0.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rawalpindi
Sheikhupura
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.14 PKR 4,742
$26.44 PKR 7,313
-35.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.15 PKR 8,894
$34.46 PKR 9,533
-6.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.8 PKR 25.4K
$98.3 PKR 27.2K
-6.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$36.65 PKR 10.1K
$41.10 PKR 11.4K
-10.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rawalpindi
Sheikhupura
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$184 PKR 50.8K
$135 PKR 37.2K
36.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$87.4 PKR 24.2K
$85.4 PKR 23.6K
2.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$383 PKR 105.9K
$266 PKR 73.6K
43.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$224 PKR 61.9K
$180 PKR 49.8K
24.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,016 PKR 280.9K
$816 PKR 225.8K
24.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$433 PKR 119.7K
$512 PKR 141.7K
-15.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rawalpindi
Sheikhupura
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$171 PKR 47.3K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.81
13.08
74.39%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: November 2, 2026

Last update for Sheikhupura: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rawalpindi
$137
Sheikhupura
$124 9.4% $13
Groceries & Markets
Rawalpindi
$104
Sheikhupura
$103 1.5% $1.6
Accommodation & Living
Rawalpindi
$87
Sheikhupura
$85 2.2% $2
Clothing & Footwear
Rawalpindi
$80
Sheikhupura
$90 12.7% $10
Eating Out
Rawalpindi
$61
Sheikhupura
$78 28% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Rawalpindi
$21
Sheikhupura
$24 16.9% $3.5
Getting Around
Rawalpindi
$13
Sheikhupura
$15 16.1% $2.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $184 in Rawalpindi and $135 in Sheikhupura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16 in Rawalpindi vs $23 in Sheikhupura. Groceries flip the comparison at $104 vs $103, with Sheikhupura cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Rawalpindi
🇵🇰 Sheikhupura
🕒 Local time
04:42 4:42 AM
04:42 4:42 AM
Same time as Rawalpindi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,098,231
473,129
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rawalpindi Sheikhupura 230 km
From you
  • Rawalpindi
  • Sheikhupura

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sheikhupura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Rawalpindi and in Sheikhupura?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $503 in Rawalpindi and $520 in Sheikhupura, so Rawalpindi is about 3% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Rawalpindi compared to Sheikhupura?
You’d need roughly $755 in Rawalpindi and $779 in Sheikhupura 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Rawalpindi and in Sheikhupura?
Rent for a central apartment: $184 in Rawalpindi versus $135 in Sheikhupura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Rawalpindi and Sheikhupura?
Childcare runs $50 in Rawalpindi versus $43 in Sheikhupura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more expensive overall: Rawalpindi or Sheikhupura?
All in, you’ll spend $503 per month in Rawalpindi versus $520 in Sheikhupura – Rawalpindi is about 3% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How far does $1,200 go in Rawalpindi compared to Sheikhupura?
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.
How does quality of life compare between Rawalpindi and Sheikhupura?
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.

Rawalpindi vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?