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: $495 in Rawalpindi versus $363 in Sylhet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $781 in Rawalpindi versus $616 in Sylhet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,067 in Rawalpindi versus $870 in Sylhet.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 36% more expensive than in Sylhet, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 64% lower, Sylhet 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 PKR 569

$2.42 ৳297

-15.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.07 PKR 4,452

$11.31 ৳1,387

42.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 PKR 1,617

$4.09 ৳502

42.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 487

$4.77 ৳585

-63.10%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 PKR 971

$4.01 ৳493

-12.72%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PKR 549

$2.06 ৳253

-3.88%

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

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.31 ৳37.51

41.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$0.16 ৳19.12

56.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 251

$0.83 ৳102

9.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 151

$0.56 ৳69.1

-3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$0.63 ৳77.6

95.24%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.22 ৳150

-9.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 PKR 1,752

$7.56 ৳927

-16.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 990

$3.34 ৳410

6.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.05 PKR 1,398

$6.40 ৳785

-21.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 331

$2.65 ৳325

-54.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.92 ৳113

-8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 338

$2.35 ৳288

-48.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$0.63 ৳76.9

-15.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.5

$0.25 ৳30.88

44.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.48 ৳59.0

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 84.9

$0.35 ৳42.42

-11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.29 ৳35.79

48.28%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.09 PKR 4,458

$2.86 ৳351

462.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 316

$2.02 ৳248

-43.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 657

$4.03 ৳494

-41.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$2.82 ৳346

-31.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 50.5

$0.75 ৳92.1

-76.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,767

$24.48 ৳3,004

-59.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.24 ৳152

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 96.1

$0.14 ৳17.43

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 PKR 861

$1.16 ৳143

168.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.03 ৳127

9.71%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$29.4K ৳3.6M

-39.08%

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

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

$32.0K ৳3.9M

-24.54%

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

$113 PKR 31.2K

$25.58 ৳3,139

340.89%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,537

$4.02 ৳493

38.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 PKR 5,229

$11.33 ৳1,390

66.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.11 PKR 3,354

$9.38 ৳1,151

29.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 PKR 1,886

$4.01 ৳492

69.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,179

$4.11 ৳505

3.65%

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

$48.70 PKR 13.5K

$28.85 ৳3,540

68.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$833 PKR 230.8K

$992 ৳121.7K

-16.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.41 PKR 5,653

$15.85 ৳1,944

28.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.85 PKR 7,993

$16.50 ৳2,025

74.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 PKR 26.0K

$36.02 ৳4,419

160.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.19 PKR 10.0K

$29.63 ৳3,636

22.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.6K

$130 ৳15.9K

54.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.0 PKR 23.0K

$57.9 ৳7,108

43.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 PKR 118.6K

$173 ৳21.2K

148.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 PKR 62.6K

$159 ৳19.5K

42.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,170 PKR 324.1K

$703 ৳86.3K

66.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$507 PKR 140.5K

$348 ৳42.8K

45.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.0K

$223 ৳27.3K

-22.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

10.48

117.65%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sylhet: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Rawalpindi and $130 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: $16.00 in Rawalpindi vs $11.00 in Sylhet. Groceries flip the comparison at $103 vs $118, 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 36% in total monthly costs ($495 vs $363 including rent). Sylhet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Sylhet. 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: $201 in Rawalpindi versus $130 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 $16.00 in Rawalpindi. 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 $363 in Sylhet – a 36% 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 36% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.