Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sahiwal and Rawalpindi

For one person, living costs are similar in Sahiwal and in Rawalpindi: $498 and $504 a month, rent and utilities included.

Sahiwal, Pakistan
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Sahiwal
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$498
/mo nomad
Rawalpindi
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$504
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sahiwal and in Rawalpindi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sahiwal and in Rawalpindi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $498 in Sahiwal versus $504 in Rawalpindi.

  • Sahiwal $498
  • Rawalpindi $504

Estimated couple costs with rent: $755 in Sahiwal versus $787 in Rawalpindi.

  • Sahiwal $755
  • Rawalpindi $787

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,013 in Sahiwal versus $1,069 in Rawalpindi.

  • Sahiwal $1,013
  • Rawalpindi $1,069

Monthly costs are close between Sahiwal and Rawalpindi; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sahiwal 63% lower, Rawalpindi 63% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sahiwal
Rawalpindi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.57 PKR 711
$2.11 PKR 584
21.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.34 PKR 3,963
$16.10 PKR 4,450
-10.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.67 PKR 1,568
$6.07 PKR 1,679
-6.59%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.58 PKR 989
$1.78 PKR 491
101.12%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 PKR 1,483
$3.48 PKR 962
54.02%
Cappuccino
$2.62 PKR 724
$2.01 PKR 555
30.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 PKR 103
$0.40 PKR 111
-7.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 PKR 72.1
$0.23 PKR 63.1
13.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sahiwal
Rawalpindi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.97 PKR 268
$0.87 PKR 240
11.49%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 PKR 201
$0.59 PKR 162
23.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.24 PKR 342
$1.21 PKR 336
2.48%
Eggs
$1.20 PKR 332
$1.10 PKR 303
9.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.40 PKR 1,768
$6.25 PKR 1,728
2.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.49 PKR 688
$3.55 PKR 982
-29.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.97 PKR 1,375
$4.94 PKR 1,365
0.61%
Apples (1kg)
$1.18 PKR 326
$1.20 PKR 332
-1.67%
Banana (1kg)
$0.70 PKR 192
$0.87 PKR 241
-19.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.83 PKR 230
$1.21 PKR 336
-31.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.60 PKR 165
$0.52 PKR 145
15.38%
Potato (1kg)
$0.31 PKR 86.1
$0.39 PKR 107
-20.51%
Onion (1kg)
$0.36 PKR 99.5
$0.46 PKR 127
-21.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.48 PKR 131
$0.31 PKR 87.1
54.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.35 PKR 96.2
$0.40 PKR 110
-12.50%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.07 PKR 295
$16.44 PKR 4,546
-93.49%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.60 PKR 166
$1.16 PKR 321
-48.28%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 PKR 476
$2.41 PKR 666
-28.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.13 PKR 588
$2.04 PKR 564
4.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Sahiwal
Rawalpindi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 PKR 50.8
$0.19 PKR 53.8
-5.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.05 PKR 3,056
$10.06 PKR 2,780
9.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.88 PKR 242
$0.87 PKR 240
1.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.74 PKR 204
$0.35 PKR 95.5
111.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.83 PKR 506
$3.11 PKR 860
-41.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 PKR 371
$1.24 PKR 342
8.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9K PKR 5.0M
$19.3K PKR 5.3M
-6.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K PKR 6.6M
$23.6K PKR 6.5M
0.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sahiwal
Rawalpindi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 PKR 34.6K
$115 PKR 31.7K
9.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.74 PKR 1,587
$5.61 PKR 1,550
2.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.23 PKR 4,487
$18.35 PKR 5,073
-11.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sahiwal
Rawalpindi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$12.76 PKR 3,527
$12.01 PKR 3,319
6.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.53 PKR 2,083
$7.28 PKR 2,014
3.43%
Cinema Ticket
$4.40 PKR 1,217
$4.25 PKR 1,174
3.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sahiwal
Rawalpindi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$75.0 PKR 20.7K
$48.77 PKR 13.5K
53.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,068 PKR 571.7K
$1,056 PKR 292.1K
95.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sahiwal
Rawalpindi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.74 PKR 4,904
$17.54 PKR 4,848
1.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.98 PKR 7,735
$32.61 PKR 9,014
-14.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.6 PKR 20.1K
$93.6 PKR 25.9K
-22.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.21 PKR 8,906
$35.98 PKR 9,948
-10.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sahiwal
Rawalpindi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$125 PKR 34.6K
$183 PKR 50.5K
-31.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$76.5 PKR 21.1K
$87.2 PKR 24.1K
-12.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$307 PKR 84.9K
$396 PKR 109.5K
-22.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$177 PKR 49.0K
$221 PKR 61.2K
-19.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$696 PKR 192.5K
$1,007 PKR 278.4K
-30.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$471 PKR 130.1K
$434 PKR 120.1K
8.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sahiwal
Rawalpindi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$174 PKR 48.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14.05
22.81
-38.40%

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

Last update for Sahiwal: October 25, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sahiwal
$147
Rawalpindi
$139 5.7% $8.4
Groceries & Markets
Sahiwal
$97
Rawalpindi
$102 4.7% $4.6
Accommodation & Living
Sahiwal
$77
Rawalpindi
$87 14% $11
Eating Out
Sahiwal
$72
Rawalpindi
$62 13.7% $9.8
Clothing & Footwear
Sahiwal
$68
Rawalpindi
$81 19.4% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Sahiwal
$22
Rawalpindi
$21 4.9% $1.1
Getting Around
Sahiwal
$16
Rawalpindi
$13 17.9% $2.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $125 in Sahiwal and $183 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14 in Sahiwal vs $16 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97 vs $102 per month, with Sahiwal cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Sahiwal
🇵🇰 Rawalpindi
🕒 Local time
06:30 6:30 AM
06:30 6:30 AM
Same time as Sahiwal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
389,605
2,098,231
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 276 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 308 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.25 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sahiwal Rawalpindi 320 km
From you
  • Sahiwal
  • Rawalpindi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Sahiwal vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What salary covers living expenses in Sahiwal compared to Rawalpindi?
You’d need roughly $747 in Sahiwal and $756 in Rawalpindi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Sahiwal and in Rawalpindi?
Rent for a central apartment: $125 in Sahiwal versus $183 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sahiwal and Rawalpindi?
Childcare runs $75 in Sahiwal versus $49 in Rawalpindi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Sahiwal – a meal for two runs $14 versus $16 in Rawalpindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How far does $1,000 go in Sahiwal compared to Rawalpindi?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Sahiwal gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Sahiwal and Rawalpindi?
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.

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