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: $719 in China versus $449 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,145 in China versus $677 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,570 in China versus $904 in Pakistan.

Living in China is roughly 60% more expensive than in Pakistan on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 48% lower, Pakistan 67% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $458 to $1,247, compared to $300–$589 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.90 ¥19.44

$2.22 PKR 616

30.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.13 ¥148

$14.09 PKR 3,904

57.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥35.61

$5.31 PKR 1,472

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 PKR 585

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 PKR 1,129

Cappuccino

$2.99 ¥20.06

$1.97 PKR 547

51.78%

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

$0.48 ¥3.21

$0.34 PKR 95.0

41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.03

$0.22 PKR 60.6

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ¥6.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ¥14.83

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ¥11.67

$0.82 PKR 227

112.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.24

$0.62 PKR 173

170.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.43

$1.22 PKR 339

-21.31%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.35

$1.23 PKR 340

25.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.51 ¥90.7

$5.61 PKR 1,556

140.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ¥23.35

$2.74 PKR 761

27.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 ¥76.1

$4.89 PKR 1,356

131.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.59

$1.13 PKR 314

66.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.68

$0.66 PKR 184

95.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ¥10.18

$0.87 PKR 240

74.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.54

$0.58 PKR 160

118.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.84

$0.32 PKR 88.2

125.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.90

$0.39 PKR 108

125.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.35 PKR 96.0

74.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.72

$0.41 PKR 112

34.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.92 PKR 533

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 PKR 313

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 PKR 631

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.73 ¥25.04

$2.10 PKR 582

77.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.87 ¥79.6

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥6.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.28

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.94

$0.17 PKR 46.59

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥149

$10.08 PKR 2,794

120.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 ¥10.18

$0.92 PKR 255

65.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.49

$0.53 PKR 147

-30.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.33 ¥49.17

$2.11 PKR 584

247.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥8.20

$1.22 PKR 339

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

$19.3K ¥129.5K

$18.2K PKR 5.0M

6.05%

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

$17.1K ¥114.9K

$25.0K PKR 6.9M

-31.40%

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

$53.8 ¥361

$106 PKR 29.4K

-49.33%

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

$8.71 ¥58.5

$5.27 PKR 1,462

65.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.93 ¥73.3

$15.28 PKR 4,235

-28.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.74 ¥273

$15.96 PKR 4,423

155.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 ¥97.5

$10.70 PKR 2,967

35.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 ¥43.93

$4.36 PKR 1,209

50.23%

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

$457 ¥3,066

$42.86 PKR 11.9K

965.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K ¥130.8K

$1,314 PKR 364.1K

1383.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.62 ¥306

$15.45 PKR 4,282

195.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.90 ¥241

$23.06 PKR 6,391

55.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥511

$76.2 PKR 21.1K

-0.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 ¥513

$32.87 PKR 9,110

132.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 ¥2,582

$134 PKR 37.2K

186.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ¥1,603

$75.4 PKR 20.9K

216.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 ¥5,634

$295 PKR 81.7K

184.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$484 ¥3,246

$168 PKR 46.5K

188.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,581 ¥30.7K

$1,000 PKR 277.3K

357.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,266 ¥15.2K

$524 PKR 145.3K

332.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,065 ¥7,147

$189 PKR 52.4K

463.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.47

13.99

-75.20%

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

Last update for China: August 29, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $294 in China, $122 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $959 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $277 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $864 in China, $182 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 141% higher in China.

Dining out costs 62% more in China.

Public transport is 89% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 375% 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 $853 per month in China and $445 in Pakistan, there's a 92% 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.