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 $392 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $591 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $790 in Pakistan.

Living in China is roughly 82% more expensive than 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 $520 to $1,209, compared to $287–$529 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ¥19.01

$1.82 PKR 506

54.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.30 ¥158

$12.25 PKR 3,409

90.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 ¥33.93

$4.27 PKR 1,188

17.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 PKR 1,136

Cappuccino

$3.01 ¥20.42

$1.77 PKR 493

70.06%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$0.34 PKR 93.3

32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.23 PKR 64.2

26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ¥6.42

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.90

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.89

$0.77 PKR 214

128.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥11.00

$0.56 PKR 155

189.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.46

$1.22 PKR 340

-22.13%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.57

$1.21 PKR 337

28.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ¥88.4

$5.68 PKR 1,579

129.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ¥22.21

$3.00 PKR 835

9.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 ¥72.1

$4.29 PKR 1,193

148.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.02 PKR 284

74.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.43

$0.62 PKR 174

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.13

$0.77 PKR 213

94.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.80

$0.49 PKR 138

134.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.08

$0.35 PKR 98.2

114.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.82

$0.48 PKR 134

79.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.17

$0.38 PKR 106

63.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.82

$0.36 PKR 99.7

55.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.91 PKR 532

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 PKR 304

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 PKR 557

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ¥23.80

$1.96 PKR 546

79.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 ¥79.0

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.41

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ¥11.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.15 PKR 42.98

186.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.86 ¥141

$7.14 PKR 1,986

192.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ¥9.28

$0.85 PKR 237

61.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.39

$0.51 PKR 143

-31.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 ¥44.90

$1.81 PKR 503

266.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$0.90 PKR 249

26.67%

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

$19.2K ¥129.9K

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

10.04%

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

$16.8K ¥113.5K

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

-30.15%

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

$51.2 ¥347

$110 PKR 30.7K

-53.60%

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

$10.16 ¥68.8

$4.72 PKR 1,313

115.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.51 ¥78.0

$15.34 PKR 4,268

-24.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.53 ¥275

$13.40 PKR 3,728

202.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 ¥102

$8.53 PKR 2,374

76.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ¥41.33

$4.31 PKR 1,199

41.53%

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

$402 ¥2,724

$38.86 PKR 10.8K

934.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥119.7K

$1,143 PKR 318.1K

1445.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.57 ¥309

$15.81 PKR 4,398

188.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.26 ¥225

$23.47 PKR 6,529

41.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥492

$72.0 PKR 20.0K

0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ¥504

$33.27 PKR 9,255

123.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ¥2,908

$111 PKR 30.9K

286.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 ¥1,742

$67.3 PKR 18.7K

282.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 ¥6,065

$272 PKR 75.7K

229.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ¥3,667

$167 PKR 46.5K

224.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,015 ¥34.0K

$983 PKR 273.3K

410.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,469 ¥16.7K

$519 PKR 144.4K

375.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,055 ¥7,143

$185 PKR 51.5K

470.14%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $78.0 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $916 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $198 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $861 in China, $187 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 267% higher in China.

Dining out costs 91% more in China.

Public transport is 157% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 360% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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 $865 per month in China and $408 in Pakistan, there's a 112% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Pakistan is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.