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 $392 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $617 in India versus $591 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $846 in India versus $790 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 $264 to $888, compared to $287–$529 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in India.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.49 ₹238

$1.82 PKR 506

36.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.20 ₹1,359

$12.25 PKR 3,408

15.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.98 ₹381

$4.27 PKR 1,188

-6.79%

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

$1.88 ₹180

$1.77 PKR 493

6.21%

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

$0.44 ₹42.18

$0.34 PKR 93.3

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.65

$0.23 PKR 64.2

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ₹193

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ₹331

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 ₹68.6

$0.77 PKR 214

-6.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹49.49

$0.56 PKR 155

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.0

$1.22 PKR 340

-40.98%

Eggs

$0.93 ₹89.2

$1.21 PKR 337

-23.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 ₹502

$5.68 PKR 1,579

-7.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ₹293

$3.00 PKR 835

2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.29 PKR 1,193

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ₹208

$1.02 PKR 284

112.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.5

$0.62 PKR 174

22.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 ₹100

$0.77 PKR 213

36.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹50.9

$0.49 PKR 138

8.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.71

$0.35 PKR 98.2

11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ₹47.02

$0.48 PKR 134

2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ₹49.58

$0.38 PKR 106

36.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.27

$0.36 PKR 99.7

-8.33%

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)

$4.05 ₹388

$1.96 PKR 546

106.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 ₹707

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₹176

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₹278

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

$5.65 ₹541

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₹34.75

$0.15 PKR 42.98

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.74 ₹932

$7.14 PKR 1,986

36.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 ₹91.0

$0.85 PKR 237

11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.77

$0.51 PKR 143

-41.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 ₹165

$1.81 PKR 503

-4.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₹117

$0.90 PKR 249

36.67%

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

$13.9K ₹1.3M

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

-20.53%

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

$22.6K ₹2.2M

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

-5.82%

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

$40.88 ₹3,912

$110 PKR 30.7K

-62.93%

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

$3.91 ₹374

$4.72 PKR 1,313

-17.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.81 ₹747

$15.34 PKR 4,268

-49.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.15 ₹1,545

$13.40 PKR 3,728

20.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.49 ₹717

$8.53 PKR 2,374

-12.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 ₹328

$4.31 PKR 1,199

-20.65%

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

$69.9 ₹6,691

$38.86 PKR 10.8K

79.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,793 ₹171.6K

$1,143 PKR 318.1K

56.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.83 ₹2,472

$15.81 PKR 4,398

63.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.61 ₹2,547

$23.47 PKR 6,528

13.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.24 ₹4,329

$72.0 PKR 20.0K

-37.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.68 ₹3,223

$33.27 PKR 9,254

1.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₹17.0K

$111 PKR 30.9K

60.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 ₹11.0K

$67.3 PKR 18.7K

70.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 ₹38.9K

$272 PKR 75.6K

49.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₹25.2K

$167 PKR 46.5K

57.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,240 ₹118.6K

$983 PKR 273.3K

26.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$631 ₹60.4K

$519 PKR 144.4K

21.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 ₹41.3K

$185 PKR 51.5K

133.56%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $127 in India, $78.0 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $239 in Delhi vs $198 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $398 in India, $187 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 113% higher in India, giving India 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

India vs Pakistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $576 per month in India and $408 in Pakistan, there's a 41% 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 India 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 India, 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; India may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.