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: $431 in Rawalpindi versus $356 in Sylhet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $665 in Rawalpindi versus $569 in Sylhet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $899 in Rawalpindi versus $781 in Sylhet.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 21% more expensive than in Sylhet, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 68% lower, Sylhet 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 PKR 497

$2.02 ৳250

-11.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.27 PKR 3,959

$10.63 ৳1,314

34.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 PKR 1,460

$4.00 ৳494

31.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 PKR 445

$4.22 ৳521

-62.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 950

$4.36 ৳538

-21.56%

Cappuccino

$1.66 PKR 460

$1.81 ৳224

-8.29%

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

$0.34 PKR 95.5

$0.32 ৳39.00

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$0.19 ৳23.60

10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 219

$0.75 ৳93.1

5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.46 ৳57.1

21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$0.66 ৳81.0

96.97%

Eggs

$1.14 PKR 316

$1.20 ৳148

-5.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.98 PKR 1,660

$6.80 ৳841

-12.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 906

$2.49 ৳308

30.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.47 PKR 1,240

$6.39 ৳790

-30.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$2.17 ৳268

-53.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$1.02 ৳125

-38.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$2.06 ৳255

-59.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 139

$0.47 ৳57.6

6.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.36 ৳43.99

2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.65 ৳80.4

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 PKR 72.8

$0.35 ৳43.63

-25.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.28 ৳34.74

42.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.96 PKR 4,429

$2.91 ৳360

448.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 284

$2.22 ৳274

-54.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 658

$4.34 ৳536

-45.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 PKR 533

$2.63 ৳325

-27.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.6

$0.42 ৳52.4

-52.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 PKR 2,663

$16.48 ৳2,037

-41.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 235

$0.86 ৳106

-1.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.32 ৳39.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 PKR 858

$1.52 ৳188

103.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 264

$0.92 ৳113

3.26%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$29.0K ৳3.6M

-39.61%

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

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

$25.5K ৳3.2M

-10.18%

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

$101 PKR 28.0K

$30.33 ৳3,748

232.18%

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

$3.96 PKR 1,100

$4.63 ৳572

-14.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.35 PKR 4,537

$13.15 ৳1,625

24.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.86 PKR 2,736

$9.56 ৳1,182

3.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.42 PKR 2,060

$8.15 ৳1,007

-8.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.57 PKR 990

$4.16 ৳514

-14.18%

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

$40.97 PKR 11.4K

$37.49 ৳4,633

9.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$963 PKR 267.2K

$952 ৳117.6K

1.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.74 PKR 3,258

$13.95 ৳1,724

-15.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.96 PKR 5,263

$16.66 ৳2,059

13.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

$37.45 ৳4,628

139.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.12 PKR 8,081

$36.81 ৳4,549

-20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 36.9K

$69.2 ৳8,551

92.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.5 PKR 18.5K

$59.5 ৳7,346

11.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 PKR 92.8K

$165 ৳20.3K

103.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$112 ৳13.9K

54.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,133 PKR 314.6K

$709 ৳87.7K

59.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$510 PKR 141.6K

$351 ৳43.3K

45.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$176 PKR 48.7K

$223 ৳27.6K

-21.29%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Sylhet: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Rawalpindi and $69.2 in Sylhet. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sylhet pays 27% 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 $94.0 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 21% in total monthly costs ($431 vs $356 including rent). Sylhet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 27% 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: $133 in Rawalpindi versus $69.2 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 $431 per month in Rawalpindi versus $356 in Sylhet – a 21% 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 21% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.