Cost of Living Comparison Between Sahiwal and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Sahiwal and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $497 in Sahiwal versus $503 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $722 in Sahiwal versus $776 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $947 in Sahiwal versus $1,050 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Sahiwal costs roughly 1% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 PKR 709

$2.09 PKR 580

22.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.38 PKR 3,985

$16.42 PKR 4,548

-12.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PKR 1,531

$5.81 PKR 1,611

-4.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 PKR 981

$1.84 PKR 511

92.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 PKR 1,492

$3.48 PKR 963

54.60%

Cappuccino

$2.57 PKR 711

$1.92 PKR 532

33.85%

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

$0.42 PKR 118

$0.40 PKR 111

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 72.3

$0.25 PKR 69.4

4.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 251

$0.86 PKR 239

5.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.59 PKR 163

11.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.20 PKR 333

0.83%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 341

$1.15 PKR 318

6.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.47 PKR 1,794

$6.21 PKR 1,721

4.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.45 PKR 679

$3.47 PKR 962

-29.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.93 PKR 1,365

$5.18 PKR 1,436

-4.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 335

$1.19 PKR 329

1.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 184

$0.85 PKR 236

-22.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 PKR 229

$1.27 PKR 352

-34.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 PKR 178

$0.57 PKR 157

12.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 83.5

$0.38 PKR 107

-21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 89.8

$0.49 PKR 135

-34.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PKR 126

$0.33 PKR 92.3

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 92.9

$0.42 PKR 117

-19.05%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.10 PKR 305

$15.90 PKR 4,406

-93.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 PKR 169

$1.18 PKR 327

-48.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 PKR 477

$2.44 PKR 677

-29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 PKR 583

$1.94 PKR 539

8.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 47.60

$0.19 PKR 53.2

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.75 PKR 2,701

$10.07 PKR 2,789

-3.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 PKR 257

$0.94 PKR 261

-1.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 193

$0.34 PKR 93.9

105.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 PKR 491

$3.14 PKR 869

-43.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 PKR 369

$1.17 PKR 323

13.68%

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

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

0.56%

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

$26.0K PKR 7.2M

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

7.98%

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

$124 PKR 34.4K

$112 PKR 31.1K

10.71%

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

$5.20 PKR 1,441

$5.76 PKR 1,594

-9.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.26 PKR 4,504

$18.29 PKR 5,067

-11.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.02 PKR 4,161

$11.83 PKR 3,278

26.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.79 PKR 1,881

Cinema Ticket

$4.41 PKR 1,221

$4.30 PKR 1,191

2.56%

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

$44.39 PKR 12.3K

$48.80 PKR 13.5K

-9.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,010 PKR 556.9K

$852 PKR 235.9K

136.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.73 PKR 4,634

$20.89 PKR 5,787

-19.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 PKR 6,913

$28.53 PKR 7,903

-12.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 PKR 20.3K

$93.5 PKR 25.9K

-21.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.87 PKR 8,274

$35.66 PKR 9,879

-16.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 PKR 35.1K

$201 PKR 55.7K

-37.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.4 PKR 21.4K

$82.3 PKR 22.8K

-6.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 PKR 69.9K

$430 PKR 119.1K

-41.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 PKR 41.8K

$226 PKR 62.6K

-33.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$909 PKR 251.9K

$1,149 PKR 318.2K

-20.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 141.5K

$517 PKR 143.2K

-1.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.22

22.81

-37.66%

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

Last update for Sahiwal: September 6, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Sahiwal and $201 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Sahiwal vs $16.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $96.0 vs $103 per month, with Sahiwal cheaper across the board.

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

Sahiwal and Rawalpindi differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($497 vs $503 including rent). Sahiwal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $745 in Sahiwal and $755 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $127 in Sahiwal versus $201 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sahiwal – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $16.00 in Rawalpindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $497 per month in Sahiwal versus $503 in Rawalpindi – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

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 Sahiwal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.