Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Pakistan Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Pakistan

Name: Pakistan
Address: PK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $388 in India versus $391 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $617 in India versus $592 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $846 in India versus $792 in Pakistan.

Living in India costs about 1% less than in Pakistan on average.

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

Internal cost variation is higher in India: monthly costs span $265 to $913, compared to $286–$534 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in India.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.53 ₹244

$1.81 PKR 502

39.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.73 ₹1,322

$12.15 PKR 3,370

13.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 ₹385

$4.29 PKR 1,189

-6.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 484

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PKR 1,105

Cappuccino

$1.91 ₹184

$1.74 PKR 482

9.77%

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

$0.43 ₹41.85

$0.36 PKR 100

19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.11

$0.21 PKR 58.2

-19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 ₹186

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₹341

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.9

$0.78 PKR 215

-6.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹50.1

$0.56 PKR 154

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.9

$1.21 PKR 337

-39.67%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹91.4

$1.20 PKR 334

-20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.32 ₹512

$5.69 PKR 1,577

-6.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ₹299

$2.84 PKR 788

9.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.09 PKR 1,133

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 ₹208

$1.00 PKR 278

116.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 ₹67.7

$0.61 PKR 170

14.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 ₹101

$0.76 PKR 211

38.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹50.8

$0.52 PKR 145

1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.66

$0.38 PKR 106

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 ₹46.64

$0.51 PKR 143

-5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ₹49.78

$0.38 PKR 106

36.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹34.33

$0.36 PKR 98.7

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.01 PKR 558

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)

$4.02 ₹387

$1.96 PKR 544

105.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.28 ₹701

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₹183

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ₹292

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.84 ₹562

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₹34.66

$0.20 PKR 56.1

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.84 ₹948

$7.24 PKR 2,008

35.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 ₹91.8

$0.84 PKR 232

13.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹29.03

$0.52 PKR 145

-42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 ₹172

$1.79 PKR 496

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₹117

$0.89 PKR 248

35.96%

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

$13.9K ₹1.3M

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

-22.19%

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

$22.4K ₹2.2M

$23.7K PKR 6.6M

-5.47%

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

$40.16 ₹3,867

$110 PKR 30.5K

-63.46%

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

$3.76 ₹362

$4.58 PKR 1,269

-17.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.04 ₹774

$15.58 PKR 4,320

-48.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.25 ₹1,565

$13.28 PKR 3,682

22.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.56 ₹728

$8.84 PKR 2,453

-14.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 ₹330

$4.13 PKR 1,147

-16.95%

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

$69.7 ₹6,713

$39.62 PKR 11.0K

76.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,852 ₹178.3K

$1,170 PKR 324.5K

58.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.59 ₹2,463

$15.59 PKR 4,324

64.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.30 ₹2,532

$23.77 PKR 6,593

10.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.89 ₹4,322

$71.9 PKR 19.9K

-37.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.20 ₹3,197

$32.15 PKR 8,916

3.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₹16.8K

$115 PKR 31.9K

51.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ₹10.8K

$66.3 PKR 18.4K

69.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 ₹39.0K

$274 PKR 76.1K

47.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 ₹24.8K

$163 PKR 45.1K

58.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,263 ₹121.6K

$965 PKR 267.7K

30.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 ₹62.8K

$502 PKR 139.2K

30.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$424 ₹40.8K

$186 PKR 51.5K

128.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.02

18.97

-52.45%

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

Last update for India: July 12, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $127 in India, $78.0 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $242 in Delhi vs $199 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $398 in India, $181 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 63% higher in India.

Public transport is 29% more expensive in India.

Salaries are 120% higher in India, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

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

India vs Pakistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $589 per month in India and $410 in Pakistan, there's a 44% 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 India 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 India 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; India may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.