Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Sialkot Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Sialkot

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $437 in Rawalpindi versus $343 in Sialkot.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $671 in Rawalpindi versus $486 in Sialkot.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $905 in Rawalpindi versus $629 in Sialkot.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 27% more expensive than in Sialkot, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 67% lower, Sialkot 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 PKR 505

$1.07 PKR 298

70.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.95 PKR 3,873

$7.25 PKR 2,012

92.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.40 PKR 1,499

$2.69 PKR 746

100.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 PKR 433

$1.81 PKR 502

-13.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 PKR 980

$3.56 PKR 989

-0.84%

Cappuccino

$1.71 PKR 474

$1.45 PKR 404

17.93%

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

$0.31 PKR 87.1

$0.39 PKR 109

-20.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.9

$0.20 PKR 54.8

15.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 PKR 239

$0.71 PKR 197

21.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.57 PKR 159

-7.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$1.12 PKR 311

16.07%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 312

$1.19 PKR 332

-5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 PKR 1,674

$4.34 PKR 1,204

38.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 PKR 954

$2.67 PKR 741

28.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.40 PKR 1,221

$4.04 PKR 1,122

8.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 PKR 280

$1.05 PKR 291

-3.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$0.66 PKR 183

4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 236

$0.94 PKR 262

-9.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 129

$0.55 PKR 154

-14.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 94.1

$0.39 PKR 108

-12.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.57 PKR 158

-8.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.0

$0.33 PKR 92.2

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 109

$0.36 PKR 99.0

8.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.04 PKR 4,454

$1.47 PKR 408

991.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 PKR 274

$0.92 PKR 254

7.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PKR 666

$1.99 PKR 552

20.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 PKR 532

$2.17 PKR 604

-11.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.1

$0.17 PKR 46.87

17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.52 PKR 2,645

$10.56 PKR 2,933

-9.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 240

$0.73 PKR 202

17.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 PKR 89.7

$0.43 PKR 120

-25.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 PKR 811

$2.75 PKR 764

6.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 270

$0.96 PKR 266

1.04%

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

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-17.93%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$26.5K PKR 7.4M

-13.99%

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

$104 PKR 28.8K

$112 PKR 31.2K

-7.76%

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

$4.04 PKR 1,121

$3.42 PKR 950

18.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.63 PKR 4,618

$6.34 PKR 1,760

162.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.97 PKR 2,768

$7.12 PKR 1,978

40.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 PKR 2,062

$5.42 PKR 1,506

37.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 PKR 964

$4.34 PKR 1,204

-20.05%

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

$40.20 PKR 11.2K

$20.91 PKR 5,806

92.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$948 PKR 263.3K

$269 PKR 74.7K

252.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.90 PKR 3,304

$11.15 PKR 3,097

6.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.45 PKR 5,124

$13.35 PKR 3,708

38.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

$26.47 PKR 7,351

238.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.00 PKR 8,053

$21.49 PKR 5,968

34.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 36.8K

$48.60 PKR 13.5K

172.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.1 PKR 18.1K

$31.65 PKR 8,788

105.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 PKR 91.6K

$107 PKR 29.7K

208.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 PKR 47.4K

$65.5 PKR 18.2K

160.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 PKR 326.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$518 PKR 143.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 PKR 48.5K

$150 PKR 41.7K

16.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

20.2

-0.15%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 14, 2026

Last update for Sialkot: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Rawalpindi and $48.60 in Sialkot. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rawalpindi pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Rawalpindi vs $7.00 in Sialkot for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $95.0 vs $84.0 per month, with Sialkot 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 Sialkot: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi and Sialkot differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($437 vs $343 including rent). Sialkot is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Rawalpindi, 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: $133 in Rawalpindi versus $48.60 in Sialkot. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sialkot – a meal for two runs $7.00 versus $14.00 in Rawalpindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $437 per month in Rawalpindi versus $343 in Sialkot – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Sialkot 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 Sialkot gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.