Cost of Living Comparison Between Sylhet and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Sylhet and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $347 in Sylhet versus $427 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $561 in Sylhet versus $665 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $774 in Sylhet versus $902 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Sylhet costs roughly 19% less than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sylhet 74% lower, Rawalpindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ৳253

$1.75 PKR 485

18.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.54 ৳1,292

$14.18 PKR 3,942

-25.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 ৳512

$5.18 PKR 1,441

-19.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 ৳494

$1.56 PKR 435

158.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 ৳520

$3.42 PKR 951

24.27%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ৳224

$1.67 PKR 464

9.58%

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

$0.31 ৳38.51

$0.34 PKR 95.4

-8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ৳20.78

$0.21 PKR 58.1

-19.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 ৳92.7

$0.80 PKR 221

-5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 ৳56.3

$0.56 PKR 156

-17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.60 ৳73.9

$1.29 PKR 358

-53.49%

Eggs

$1.25 ৳153

$1.17 PKR 326

6.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.90 ৳846

$6.08 PKR 1,690

13.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.45 ৳300

$3.33 PKR 926

-26.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.13 ৳751

$4.52 PKR 1,256

35.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ৳264

$0.99 PKR 275

117.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ৳123

$0.64 PKR 178

57.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 ৳257

$0.92 PKR 256

128.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ৳58.5

$0.51 PKR 141

-5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ৳47.43

$0.36 PKR 100

8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 ৳76.5

$0.49 PKR 136

26.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 ৳39.83

$0.24 PKR 66.7

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ৳34.72

$0.40 PKR 110

-30.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.82 ৳346

$16.38 PKR 4,554

-82.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 ৳269

$1.02 PKR 285

115.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ৳534

$2.28 PKR 635

91.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 ৳333

$1.90 PKR 530

43.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ৳48.48

$0.20 PKR 55.9

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.37 ৳2,006

$9.52 PKR 2,646

71.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ৳104

$0.84 PKR 234

1.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ৳41.95

$0.33 PKR 91.0

3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 ৳186

$3.07 PKR 854

-50.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 ৳121

$0.91 PKR 254

8.79%

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

$28.7K ৳3.5M

$17.4K PKR 4.9M

64.27%

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

$25.0K ৳3.1M

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

9.21%

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

$30.06 ৳3,684

$100 PKR 27.9K

-70.02%

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

$4.72 ৳579

$4.12 PKR 1,146

14.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.04 ৳1,598

$16.38 PKR 4,555

-20.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.83 ৳1,204

$10.15 PKR 2,821

-3.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.96 ৳976

$7.73 PKR 2,150

2.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.00 ৳491

$3.61 PKR 1,005

10.80%

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

$36.96 ৳4,529

$40.70 PKR 11.3K

-9.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$953 ৳116.8K

$965 PKR 268.4K

-1.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.96 ৳1,711

$11.77 PKR 3,273

18.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.20 ৳2,107

$18.65 PKR 5,184

-7.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.54 ৳4,722

$89.8 PKR 25.0K

-57.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.09 ৳4,422

$28.17 PKR 7,832

28.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$70.3 ৳8,615

$133 PKR 37.0K

-47.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.6 ৳7,303

$65.5 PKR 18.2K

-9.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 ৳20.1K

$333 PKR 92.6K

-50.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 ৳13.8K

$172 PKR 47.9K

-34.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$696 ৳85.3K

$1,130 PKR 314.2K

-38.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$351 ৳43.0K

$511 PKR 142.1K

-31.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$222 ৳27.1K

$173 PKR 48.2K

27.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.83

20.17

-56.22%

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

Last update for Sylhet: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $70.3 in Sylhet and $133 in Rawalpindi. 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: $11.00 in Sylhet vs $14.00 in Rawalpindi. Groceries flip the comparison at $106 vs $95.0, 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

Sylhet vs Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sylhet and Rawalpindi differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($347 vs $427 including rent). Sylhet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sylhet pays 28% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $70.3 in Sylhet versus $133 in Rawalpindi. 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 $347 per month in Sylhet versus $427 in Rawalpindi – a 23% 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 23% less than in Rawalpindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.