Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Pakistan Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Pakistan

Name: Pakistan
Address: PK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $391 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $592 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $792 in Pakistan.

Living in China is roughly 82% more expensive than in Pakistan on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Pakistan 71% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $532 to $1,192, compared to $286–$534 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.35

$1.81 PKR 503

58.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.44 ¥159

$12.15 PKR 3,375

92.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ¥32.75

$4.29 PKR 1,190

12.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 485

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PKR 1,106

Cappuccino

$3.11 ¥21.06

$1.74 PKR 482

78.74%

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

$0.44 ¥3.00

$0.36 PKR 100

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.21 PKR 58.3

38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.88

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.47

$0.78 PKR 216

135.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.94

$0.56 PKR 155

189.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.28

$1.21 PKR 337

-23.14%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥11.03

$1.20 PKR 334

35.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 ¥89.0

$5.69 PKR 1,579

131.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ¥22.09

$2.84 PKR 789

14.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 ¥71.9

$4.09 PKR 1,135

159.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.19

$1.00 PKR 279

80.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.77

$0.61 PKR 170

113.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.90

$0.76 PKR 212

92.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.15

$0.52 PKR 145

130.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.14

$0.38 PKR 106

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.93

$0.51 PKR 143

72.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.86

$0.38 PKR 106

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.36 PKR 98.8

50.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.01 PKR 559

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 304

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 PKR 578

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ¥23.17

$1.96 PKR 545

74.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.75 ¥79.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.95

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.20 PKR 56.1

115.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.47 ¥139

$7.24 PKR 2,011

182.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.24

$0.84 PKR 232

61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.39

$0.52 PKR 145

-32.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.50 ¥43.97

$1.79 PKR 496

263.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.59

$0.89 PKR 248

25.84%

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

$19.5K ¥131.8K

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

9.37%

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

$16.9K ¥114.1K

$23.7K PKR 6.6M

-28.98%

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

$51.7 ¥350

$110 PKR 30.5K

-52.96%

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

$10.17 ¥68.8

$4.58 PKR 1,270

122.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.16 ¥75.5

$15.58 PKR 4,326

-28.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.62 ¥268

$13.28 PKR 3,687

198.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 ¥98.3

$8.84 PKR 2,456

64.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ¥43.19

$4.13 PKR 1,148

54.48%

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

$407 ¥2,756

$39.62 PKR 11.0K

927.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.7K

$1,170 PKR 324.9K

1424.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.53 ¥308

$15.59 PKR 4,330

192.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.31 ¥219

$23.77 PKR 6,601

35.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥491

$71.9 PKR 20.0K

0.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ¥504

$32.15 PKR 8,928

131.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ¥2,996

$115 PKR 31.9K

285.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 ¥1,747

$66.3 PKR 18.4K

289.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,162

$274 PKR 76.1K

232.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 ¥3,677

$163 PKR 45.2K

233.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,934 ¥33.4K

$965 PKR 268.0K

411.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,398 ¥16.2K

$502 PKR 139.4K

377.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,065 ¥7,205

$186 PKR 51.6K

472.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

18.97

-78.60%

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

Last update for China: July 13, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $78.0 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $894 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $199 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $855 in China, $181 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 268% higher in China.

Dining out costs 91% more in China.

Public transport is 157% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 372% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

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

China vs Pakistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $862 per month in China and $410 in Pakistan, there's a 110% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Pakistan: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in China is consistently higher than in Pakistan across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Pakistan, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in China it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Pakistan wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.