Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Pakistan

Name: Pakistan
Address: PK

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $391 a month against $472 in Pakistan, rent and utilities included – about $970 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

19

Cost of Living Index in India
Learn more

India Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Pakistan
Learn more

Pakistan Living Index

Jump to prices

🇮🇳 India

$391

/mo nomad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$472

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in India and in Pakistan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in India and in Pakistan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $391 in India versus $472 in Pakistan.

India $391
Pakistan $472

Estimated couple costs with rent: $620 in India versus $718 in Pakistan.

India $620
Pakistan $718

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $849 in India versus $964 in Pakistan.

India $849
Pakistan $964

Internal cost variation is higher in India: monthly costs span $228 to $812, compared to $281–$599 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in India.

Living in India costs about 17% less than in Pakistan on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: India 71% lower, Pakistan 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₹203

$2.15 PKR 596

-0.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.52 ₹999

$13.73 PKR 3,800

-23.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.58 ₹340

$5.54 PKR 1,533

-35.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 PKR 604

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 PKR 1,214

Cappuccino

$1.67 ₹158

$1.96 PKR 543

-14.80%

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

$0.37 ₹35.48

$0.36 PKR 98.6

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.18

$0.21 PKR 57.9

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 ₹175

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ₹292

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 ₹58.8

$0.82 PKR 227

-24.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₹46.73

$0.62 PKR 173

-20.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.1

$1.19 PKR 329

-47.06%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹90.7

$1.18 PKR 326

-18.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.71 ₹447

$5.36 PKR 1,483

-12.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 ₹277

$2.89 PKR 801

1.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.00 PKR 1,383

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ₹188

$1.15 PKR 318

72.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 ₹64.4

$0.66 PKR 182

3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 ₹97.2

$0.83 PKR 230

22.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹43.78

$0.53 PKR 148

-13.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 ₹32.20

$0.31 PKR 85.1

9.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 ₹39.00

$0.41 PKR 115

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹40.66

$0.37 PKR 103

16.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.73

$0.38 PKR 105

-18.42%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.07 PKR 572

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 PKR 297

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PKR 643

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 ₹464

$2.20 PKR 608

122.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₹688

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₹162

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₹260

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

$5.25 ₹499

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₹25.86

$0.16 PKR 44.99

68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.39 ₹797

$9.65 PKR 2,671

-13.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₹97.8

$0.86 PKR 237

19.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₹23.49

$0.56 PKR 154

-55.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 ₹152

$2.19 PKR 607

-26.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹107

$1.30 PKR 359

-13.08%

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

$12.6K ₹1.2M

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

-28.99%

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

$20.1K ₹1.9M

$25.4K PKR 7.0M

-20.94%

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

$37.55 ₹3,566

$110 PKR 30.5K

-65.92%

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

$3.47 ₹330

$5.62 PKR 1,557

-38.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.15 ₹679

$16.21 PKR 4,486

-55.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.58 ₹1,385

$16.95 PKR 4,691

-13.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.21 ₹684

$11.27 PKR 3,120

-36.02%

Cinema Ticket

$3.18 ₹302

$4.41 PKR 1,220

-27.89%

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

$56.8 ₹5,391

$45.68 PKR 12.6K

24.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,651 ₹156.7K

$1,539 PKR 426.1K

7.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.55 ₹2,141

$17.53 PKR 4,853

28.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.54 ₹2,330

$23.38 PKR 6,472

4.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.69 ₹3,769

$76.3 PKR 21.1K

-48.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.84 ₹2,833

$34.50 PKR 9,548

-13.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$141 ₹13.4K

$139 PKR 38.5K

1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.7 ₹8,515

$79.9 PKR 22.1K

12.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 ₹30.9K

$323 PKR 89.3K

0.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 ₹19.7K

$173 PKR 47.8K

19.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,214 ₹115.3K

$1,021 PKR 282.7K

18.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$638 ₹60.6K

$533 PKR 147.6K

19.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$434 ₹41.2K

$193 PKR 53.3K

125.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.92

14.1

-36.74%

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

Last update for India: October 10, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

India

$102 26.2%

Pakistan

$93 19.7% 9.2% $9.4

Accommodation & Living

India

$90 23%

Pakistan

$80 16.9% 11% $9.8

Eating Out

India

$65 16.7%

Pakistan

$60 12.6% 8.6% $5.6

Clothing & Footwear

India

$52 13.4%

Pakistan

$68 14.5% 30.1% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

India

$48 12.3%

Pakistan

$132 28% 174% $84

Sport & Entertainment

India

$21 5.4%

Pakistan

$26 5.5% 23% $4.8

Getting Around

India

$12 3%

Pakistan

$14 3% 18.6% $2.2

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $119 in India, $125 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $267 in Delhi vs $276 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $411 in India, $185 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 5% higher in Pakistan.

Dining out costs 30% more in Pakistan.

Public transport is 29% more expensive in Pakistan.

Salaries are 122% higher in India, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

Good to know

🇮🇳 India

🇵🇰 Pakistan

🕒 Local time

02:50 2:50 AM

02:20 2:20 AM

30 min behind India

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,326,093,247

223,773,700

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

India Pakistan 690 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

India
Pakistan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 $391 per month in India and $472 in Pakistan, there's a 21% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $125 in Pakistan and $119 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Pakistan 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: India wins on affordability; Pakistan may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.