Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Sylhet Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Sylhet

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $427 in Rawalpindi versus $347 in Sylhet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $665 in Rawalpindi versus $561 in Sylhet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $902 in Rawalpindi versus $774 in Sylhet.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 23% more expensive than Sylhet, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 68% lower, Sylhet 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 PKR 485

$2.07 ৳253

-15.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.18 PKR 3,942

$10.54 ৳1,292

34.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 PKR 1,441

$4.18 ৳512

23.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 PKR 435

$4.03 ৳494

-61.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 951

$4.25 ৳520

-19.53%

Cappuccino

$1.67 PKR 464

$1.83 ৳224

-8.74%

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

$0.34 PKR 95.4

$0.31 ৳38.51

9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.1

$0.17 ৳20.78

23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 PKR 221

$0.76 ৳92.7

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.46 ৳56.3

21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 358

$0.60 ৳73.9

115.00%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 326

$1.25 ৳153

-6.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PKR 1,690

$6.90 ৳846

-11.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 PKR 926

$2.45 ৳300

35.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.52 PKR 1,256

$6.13 ৳751

-26.26%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 275

$2.15 ৳264

-53.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 PKR 178

$1.01 ৳123

-36.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 256

$2.10 ৳257

-56.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.48 ৳58.5

6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.39 ৳47.43

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$0.62 ৳76.5

-20.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.33 ৳39.83

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.28 ৳34.72

42.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.38 PKR 4,554

$2.82 ৳346

480.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 285

$2.20 ৳269

-53.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 PKR 635

$4.36 ৳534

-47.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 530

$2.72 ৳333

-30.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.9

$0.40 ৳48.48

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.52 PKR 2,646

$16.37 ৳2,006

-41.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.85 ৳104

-1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 PKR 91.0

$0.34 ৳41.95

-2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 PKR 854

$1.52 ৳186

101.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 254

$0.99 ৳121

-8.08%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.9M

$28.7K ৳3.5M

-39.12%

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

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

$25.0K ৳3.1M

-8.43%

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

$100 PKR 27.9K

$30.06 ৳3,684

233.60%

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

$4.12 PKR 1,146

$4.72 ৳579

-12.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.38 PKR 4,555

$13.04 ৳1,598

25.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.15 PKR 2,821

$9.83 ৳1,204

3.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 PKR 2,150

$7.96 ৳976

-2.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 PKR 1,005

$4.00 ৳491

-9.75%

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

$40.70 PKR 11.3K

$36.96 ৳4,529

10.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$965 PKR 268.4K

$953 ৳116.8K

1.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.77 PKR 3,273

$13.96 ৳1,711

-15.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.65 PKR 5,184

$17.20 ৳2,107

8.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 PKR 25.0K

$38.54 ৳4,722

133.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.17 PKR 7,832

$36.09 ৳4,422

-21.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 37.0K

$70.3 ৳8,615

89.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.5 PKR 18.2K

$59.6 ৳7,303

9.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 PKR 92.6K

$164 ৳20.1K

102.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 PKR 47.9K

$113 ৳13.8K

52.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 PKR 314.2K

$696 ৳85.3K

62.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 142.1K

$351 ৳43.0K

45.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.2K

$222 ৳27.1K

-21.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

8.83

128.43%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 6, 2026

Last update for Sylhet: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Rawalpindi and $70.3 in Sylhet. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sylhet pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Rawalpindi vs $11.00 in Sylhet. Groceries flip the comparison at $95.0 vs $106, with Rawalpindi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sylhet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi and Sylhet differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($427 vs $347 including rent). Sylhet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sylhet earns 28% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $133 in Rawalpindi versus $70.3 in Sylhet. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sylhet – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $14.00 in Rawalpindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $427 per month in Rawalpindi versus $347 in Sylhet – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sylhet 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 Sylhet gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.