Cost of Living Comparison Between Laos and Pakistan Cost of Living Comparison Between Laos and Pakistan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $489 in Laos versus $391 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $766 in Laos versus $592 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,042 in Laos versus $792 in Pakistan.

Living in Laos is roughly 25% more expensive than in Pakistan on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Laos 63% lower, Pakistan 71% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.34 LAK 52.6K
$1.81 PKR 502
29.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.68 LAK 419.9K
$12.15 PKR 3,370
53.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.44 LAK 122.2K
$4.29 PKR 1,189
26.81%
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
$1.59 LAK 35.8K
$1.74 PKR 482
-8.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 LAK 16.0K
$0.36 PKR 100
97.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.42 LAK 9,367
$0.21 PKR 58.2
100.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.35 LAK 30.4K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 LAK 33.0K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.94 LAK 43.7K
$0.78 PKR 215
148.72%
White Bread (500g)
$0.99 LAK 22.3K
$0.56 PKR 154
76.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.03 LAK 23.1K
$1.21 PKR 337
-14.88%
Eggs
$1.94 LAK 43.5K
$1.20 PKR 334
61.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.04 LAK 540.4K
$5.69 PKR 1,577
322.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.78 LAK 129.9K
$2.84 PKR 788
103.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.22 LAK 139.9K
$4.09 PKR 1,133
52.08%
Apples (1kg)
$1.78 LAK 40.1K
$1.00 PKR 278
78.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.36 LAK 30.6K
$0.61 PKR 170
122.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.09 LAK 46.9K
$0.76 PKR 211
175.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.35 LAK 52.9K
$0.52 PKR 145
351.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.64 LAK 36.9K
$0.38 PKR 106
331.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.08 LAK 24.2K
$0.51 PKR 143
111.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.31 LAK 29.4K
$0.38 PKR 106
244.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 LAK 10.1K
$0.36 PKR 98.7
25.00%
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)
$1.94 LAK 43.7K
$1.96 PKR 544
-1.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.03 LAK 225.5K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 LAK 25.1K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.20 LAK 26.9K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.58 LAK 13.0K
$0.20 PKR 56.1
190.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.2 LAK 1.4M
$7.24 PKR 2,008
732.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.55 LAK 34.8K
$0.84 PKR 232
84.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.18 LAK 26.6K
$0.52 PKR 145
126.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.55 LAK 102.3K
$1.79 PKR 496
154.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 LAK 30.3K
$0.89 PKR 248
51.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K LAK 678.5M
$17.8K PKR 4.9M
69.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.9K LAK 672.8M
$23.7K PKR 6.6M
26.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.0 LAK 1.9M
$110 PKR 30.5K
-22.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.23 LAK 454.8K
$4.58 PKR 1,269
341.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.24 LAK 252.7K
$15.58 PKR 4,320
-27.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.4 LAK 1.4M
$13.28 PKR 3,682
355.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.81 LAK 175.6K
$8.84 PKR 2,453
-11.65%
Cinema Ticket
$2.44 LAK 54.9K
$4.13 PKR 1,147
-40.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$311 LAK 7.0M
$39.62 PKR 11.0K
683.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,459 LAK 212.6M
$1,170 PKR 324.5K
708.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.2 LAK 1.2M
$15.59 PKR 4,324
234.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.4 LAK 1.4M
$23.77 PKR 6,593
166.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.0 LAK 1.7M
$71.9 PKR 19.9K
2.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.3 LAK 1.2M
$32.15 PKR 8,916
68.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$834 LAK 18.7M
$115 PKR 31.9K
625.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$656 LAK 14.7M
$66.3 PKR 18.4K
889.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,289 LAK 29.0M
$274 PKR 76.1K
370.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,128 LAK 25.4M
$163 PKR 45.1K
593.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,573 LAK 57.8M
$965 PKR 267.7K
166.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$628 LAK 14.1M
$502 PKR 139.2K
24.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$481 LAK 10.8M
$186 PKR 51.5K
158.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.12
18.97
-46.65%

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

Last update for Laos: July 13, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $338 in Laos, $78.0 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $873 in Vientiane vs $199 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $235 in Laos, $181 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 333% higher in Laos.

Dining out costs 83% more in Pakistan.

Public transport is 157% more expensive in Laos.

Salaries are 30% higher in Laos.

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
Laos vs Pakistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Laos or Pakistan?
At $762 per month in Laos and $410 in Pakistan, there's a 86% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Laos or Pakistan?
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.
How do rents compare between Laos and Pakistan?
Rent in Laos 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.
How far does $1,000 go in Laos compared to Pakistan?
In Pakistan, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Laos it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Laos and in Pakistan?
It depends on what you're after: Pakistan wins on affordability; Laos may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Laos vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries