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: $356 in Sylhet versus $431 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $569 in Sylhet versus $665 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $781 in Sylhet versus $899 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 73% lower, Rawalpindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ৳250

$1.79 PKR 497

12.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.63 ৳1,314

$14.27 PKR 3,959

-25.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 ৳494

$5.26 PKR 1,460

-23.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 ৳521

$1.60 PKR 445

163.75%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ৳538

$3.42 PKR 950

27.49%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ৳224

$1.66 PKR 460

9.04%

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

$0.32 ৳39.00

$0.34 PKR 95.5

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ৳23.60

$0.21 PKR 58.0

-9.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ৳93.1

$0.79 PKR 219

-5.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 ৳57.1

$0.56 PKR 156

-17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 ৳81.0

$1.30 PKR 361

-49.23%

Eggs

$1.20 ৳148

$1.14 PKR 316

5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 ৳841

$5.98 PKR 1,660

13.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.49 ৳308

$3.26 PKR 906

-23.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.39 ৳790

$4.47 PKR 1,240

42.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ৳268

$1.02 PKR 283

112.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ৳125

$0.63 PKR 175

61.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 ৳255

$0.84 PKR 233

145.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ৳57.6

$0.50 PKR 139

-6.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 ৳43.99

$0.37 PKR 102

-2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ৳80.4

$0.52 PKR 144

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ৳43.63

$0.26 PKR 72.8

34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ৳34.74

$0.40 PKR 110

-30.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 ৳360

$15.96 PKR 4,429

-81.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ৳274

$1.02 PKR 284

117.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 ৳536

$2.37 PKR 658

83.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 ৳325

$1.92 PKR 533

36.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ৳52.4

$0.20 PKR 56.6

110.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.48 ৳2,037

$9.59 PKR 2,663

71.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ৳106

$0.85 PKR 235

1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ৳39.43

$0.32 PKR 90.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 ৳188

$3.09 PKR 858

-50.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 ৳113

$0.95 PKR 264

-3.16%

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

$29.0K ৳3.6M

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

65.58%

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

$25.5K ৳3.2M

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

11.33%

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

$30.33 ৳3,748

$101 PKR 28.0K

-69.90%

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

$4.63 ৳572

$3.96 PKR 1,100

16.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.15 ৳1,625

$16.35 PKR 4,537

-19.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.56 ৳1,182

$9.86 PKR 2,736

-3.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.15 ৳1,007

$7.42 PKR 2,060

9.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 ৳514

$3.57 PKR 990

16.53%

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

$37.49 ৳4,633

$40.97 PKR 11.4K

-8.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$952 ৳117.6K

$963 PKR 267.2K

-1.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.95 ৳1,724

$11.74 PKR 3,258

18.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.66 ৳2,059

$18.96 PKR 5,263

-12.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.45 ৳4,628

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

-58.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.81 ৳4,549

$29.12 PKR 8,081

26.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$69.2 ৳8,551

$133 PKR 36.9K

-48.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.5 ৳7,346

$66.5 PKR 18.5K

-10.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 ৳20.3K

$334 PKR 92.8K

-50.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ৳13.9K

$173 PKR 48.1K

-35.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$709 ৳87.7K

$1,133 PKR 314.6K

-37.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$351 ৳43.3K

$510 PKR 141.6K

-31.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 ৳27.6K

$176 PKR 48.7K

27.05%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $69.2 in Sylhet and $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sylhet pays 27% 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 $94.0, 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 ($356 vs $431 including rent). Sylhet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Sylhet, 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: $69.2 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 $356 per month in Sylhet versus $431 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.