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: $429 in Rawalpindi versus $340 in Sialkot.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $679 in Rawalpindi versus $488 in Sialkot.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $929 in Rawalpindi versus $636 in Sialkot.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 26% more expensive than Sialkot, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 68% lower, Sialkot 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 PKR 496

$1.04 PKR 290

71.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,957

$6.91 PKR 1,922

105.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 PKR 1,470

$2.67 PKR 743

98.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 PKR 429

$1.75 PKR 486

-12.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 PKR 947

$3.60 PKR 1,000

-5.56%

Cappuccino

$1.73 PKR 481

$1.50 PKR 416

15.33%

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

$0.32 PKR 88.9

$0.39 PKR 109

-17.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.19 PKR 51.9

21.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.77 PKR 213

2.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.56 PKR 156

1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 343

$1.17 PKR 325

5.13%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 311

$1.20 PKR 334

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 PKR 1,693

$4.42 PKR 1,229

37.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 944

$2.60 PKR 723

30.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 PKR 1,271

$3.93 PKR 1,094

16.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.05 PKR 291

-2.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.69 PKR 193

-2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 257

$0.93 PKR 258

-1.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 132

$0.57 PKR 158

-17.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 93.2

$0.39 PKR 107

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.56 PKR 157

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 PKR 72.7

$0.34 PKR 93.4

-23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.35 PKR 98.1

5.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.44 PKR 4,573

$1.48 PKR 411

1010.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 PKR 288

$0.87 PKR 242

19.54%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PKR 669

$1.98 PKR 550

21.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 528

$2.09 PKR 582

-9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.36

$0.15 PKR 42.83

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 PKR 2,751

$10.57 PKR 2,940

-6.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.68 PKR 190

33.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 97.5

$0.44 PKR 122

-20.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 PKR 826

$2.81 PKR 781

5.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 267

$0.92 PKR 255

4.35%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

-13.65%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

-14.79%

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

$100 PKR 28.0K

$111 PKR 30.9K

-9.56%

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

$3.99 PKR 1,111

$3.27 PKR 911

22.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.64 PKR 4,630

$6.03 PKR 1,677

175.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.14 PKR 2,821

$6.97 PKR 1,939

45.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.67 PKR 2,134

$5.18 PKR 1,442

48.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.60 PKR 1,003

$4.15 PKR 1,156

-13.25%

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

$39.75 PKR 11.1K

$20.91 PKR 5,818

90.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$962 PKR 267.6K

$264 PKR 73.4K

264.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.80 PKR 3,282

$11.35 PKR 3,156

3.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.84 PKR 5,242

$13.30 PKR 3,701

41.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

$26.88 PKR 7,479

226.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.38 PKR 7,896

$21.02 PKR 5,848

35.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 36.1K

$48.17 PKR 13.4K

169.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

$32.36 PKR 9,003

105.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 PKR 90.1K

$108 PKR 30.0K

200.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$64.8 PKR 18.0K

166.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,173 PKR 326.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$516 PKR 143.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 PKR 47.6K

$154 PKR 42.9K

10.91%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sialkot: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Rawalpindi and $48.17 in Sialkot. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rawalpindi pays 11% 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 $85.0 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 26% in total monthly costs ($429 vs $340 including rent). Sialkot is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rawalpindi pays 11% more on average, 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: $130 in Rawalpindi versus $48.17 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 $429 per month in Rawalpindi versus $340 in Sialkot – a 26% 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 26% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.