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: $351 in Sylhet versus $423 in Rawalpindi.

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

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

Living in Sylhet costs roughly 17% 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

$2.09 ৳256

$1.75 PKR 487

19.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.72 ৳1,316

$14.30 PKR 3,985

-25.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 ৳500

$5.38 PKR 1,501

-24.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 ৳498

$1.63 PKR 454

149.08%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ৳534

$3.53 PKR 985

23.23%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ৳229

$1.71 PKR 477

9.36%

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

$0.35 ৳42.50

$0.31 PKR 87.8

12.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ৳19.02

$0.21 PKR 58.3

-28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 ৳92.9

$0.85 PKR 238

-10.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ৳61.9

$0.52 PKR 144

-3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 ৳80.5

$1.29 PKR 360

-48.84%

Eggs

$1.21 ৳148

$1.18 PKR 329

2.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 ৳835

$6.18 PKR 1,724

10.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ৳317

$3.44 PKR 959

-25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 ৳765

$4.46 PKR 1,244

39.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 ৳264

$1.00 PKR 280

115.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ৳124

$0.64 PKR 177

57.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ৳244

$0.86 PKR 239

131.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 ৳62.1

$0.48 PKR 134

6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ৳46.95

$0.36 PKR 101

5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ৳81.6

$0.49 PKR 136

34.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ৳43.56

$0.24 PKR 66.3

45.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 ৳31.56

$0.36 PKR 101

-27.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.77 ৳462

$15.92 PKR 4,437

-76.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 ৳285

$0.99 PKR 277

134.34%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 ৳553

$2.30 PKR 643

96.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 ৳330

$1.94 PKR 541

38.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ৳48.33

$0.18 PKR 50.8

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.46 ৳2,021

$9.95 PKR 2,774

65.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ৳99.1

$0.84 PKR 234

-3.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ৳42.46

$0.35 PKR 98.2

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ৳178

$3.07 PKR 856

-52.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ৳112

$0.97 PKR 271

-6.19%

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

$28.2K ৳3.5M

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

60.31%

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

$25.7K ৳3.2M

$23.2K PKR 6.5M

11.09%

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

$29.98 ৳3,680

$103 PKR 28.7K

-70.83%

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

$4.77 ৳585

$3.95 PKR 1,101

20.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.95 ৳1,589

$16.31 PKR 4,545

-20.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.12 ৳1,242

$9.99 PKR 2,784

1.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.29 ৳1,017

$7.52 PKR 2,097

10.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 ৳511

$3.64 PKR 1,015

14.29%

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

$36.61 ৳4,494

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

-8.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$922 ৳113.1K

$953 PKR 265.7K

-3.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.81 ৳1,695

$11.64 PKR 3,246

18.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.97 ৳2,084

$18.40 PKR 5,131

-7.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.31 ৳4,702

$88.8 PKR 24.8K

-56.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.69 ৳4,504

$28.47 PKR 7,937

28.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$68.5 ৳8,411

$130 PKR 36.2K

-47.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$60.7 ৳7,445

$64.5 PKR 18.0K

-6.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 ৳20.1K

$327 PKR 91.2K

-49.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ৳13.8K

$174 PKR 48.5K

-35.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$595 ৳73.1K

$1,159 PKR 323.0K

-48.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$311 ৳38.2K

$522 PKR 145.4K

-40.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$231 ৳28.4K

$174 PKR 48.4K

33.33%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $68.5 in Sylhet and $130 in Rawalpindi. 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: $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 21% in total monthly costs ($351 vs $423 including rent). Sylhet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sylhet pays 33% 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: $68.5 in Sylhet versus $130 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 $351 per month in Sylhet versus $423 in Rawalpindi – 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.