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: $423 in Rawalpindi versus $351 in Sylhet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $670 in Rawalpindi versus $562 in Sylhet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $917 in Rawalpindi versus $774 in Sylhet.

Living in Rawalpindi is roughly 21% 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 487

$2.09 ৳256

-16.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.30 PKR 3,985

$10.72 ৳1,316

33.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 PKR 1,501

$4.07 ৳500

32.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 PKR 454

$4.06 ৳498

-59.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 PKR 985

$4.35 ৳534

-18.85%

Cappuccino

$1.71 PKR 477

$1.87 ৳229

-8.56%

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

$0.31 PKR 87.8

$0.35 ৳42.50

-11.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.3

$0.15 ৳19.02

40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 PKR 238

$0.76 ৳92.9

11.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.50 ৳61.9

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 360

$0.66 ৳80.5

95.45%

Eggs

$1.18 PKR 329

$1.21 ৳148

-2.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.18 PKR 1,724

$6.80 ৳835

-9.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 PKR 959

$2.58 ৳317

33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.46 PKR 1,244

$6.23 ৳765

-28.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 280

$2.15 ৳264

-53.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 PKR 177

$1.01 ৳124

-36.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 239

$1.99 ৳244

-56.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.51 ৳62.1

-5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.38 ৳46.95

-5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$0.66 ৳81.6

-25.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.3

$0.35 ৳43.56

-31.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.26 ৳31.56

38.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.92 PKR 4,437

$3.77 ৳462

322.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 PKR 277

$2.32 ৳285

-57.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 PKR 643

$4.51 ৳553

-49.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 PKR 541

$2.68 ৳330

-27.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 50.8

$0.39 ৳48.33

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.95 PKR 2,774

$16.46 ৳2,021

-39.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.81 ৳99.1

3.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$0.35 ৳42.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 PKR 856

$1.45 ৳178

111.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 271

$0.91 ৳112

6.59%

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

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

$28.2K ৳3.5M

-37.62%

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

$23.2K PKR 6.5M

$25.7K ৳3.2M

-9.98%

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

$103 PKR 28.7K

$29.98 ৳3,680

242.83%

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

$3.95 PKR 1,101

$4.77 ৳585

-17.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.31 PKR 4,545

$12.95 ৳1,589

25.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.99 PKR 2,784

$10.12 ৳1,242

-1.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.52 PKR 2,097

$8.29 ৳1,017

-9.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.64 PKR 1,015

$4.16 ৳511

-12.50%

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

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$36.61 ৳4,494

9.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$953 PKR 265.7K

$922 ৳113.1K

3.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.64 PKR 3,246

$13.81 ৳1,695

-15.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.40 PKR 5,131

$16.97 ৳2,084

8.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 PKR 24.8K

$38.31 ৳4,702

131.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.47 PKR 7,937

$36.69 ৳4,504

-22.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 36.2K

$68.5 ৳8,411

89.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.5 PKR 18.0K

$60.7 ৳7,445

6.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 PKR 91.2K

$164 ৳20.1K

99.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 PKR 48.5K

$112 ৳13.8K

54.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 PKR 323.0K

$595 ৳73.1K

94.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 PKR 145.4K

$311 ৳38.2K

67.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$174 PKR 48.4K

$231 ৳28.4K

-25.00%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sylhet: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Rawalpindi and $68.5 in Sylhet. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sylhet pays 33% 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 21% in total monthly costs ($423 vs $351 including rent). Sylhet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sylhet earns 33% 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: $130 in Rawalpindi versus $68.5 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 $423 per month in Rawalpindi versus $351 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.