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: $408 in Laos versus $454 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $622 in Laos versus $683 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $836 in Laos versus $912 in Pakistan.

Living in Laos costs about 10% less than in Pakistan on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Laos 70% lower, Pakistan 67% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.27 LAK 50.7K
$2.16 PKR 597
5.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.70 LAK 394.7K
$14.02 PKR 3,884
26.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.28 LAK 117.6K
$5.27 PKR 1,461
0.19%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.15 PKR 596
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.09 PKR 1,134
-
Cappuccino
$1.65 LAK 36.8K
$1.94 PKR 538
-14.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 LAK 17.1K
$0.39 PKR 107
94.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 LAK 10.0K
$0.22 PKR 60.8
104.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.29 LAK 28.7K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 LAK 39.5K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.01 LAK 44.8K
$0.87 PKR 242
131.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.11 LAK 24.7K
$0.63 PKR 174
76.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.05 LAK 23.3K
$1.17 PKR 323
-10.26%
Eggs
$1.84 LAK 41.0K
$1.19 PKR 329
54.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$23.07 LAK 514.5K
$5.67 PKR 1,571
306.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.14 LAK 136.8K
$2.80 PKR 775
119.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.76 LAK 150.7K
$5.02 PKR 1,391
34.66%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 LAK 40.9K
$1.13 PKR 314
61.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.11 LAK 24.8K
$0.68 PKR 189
63.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.56 LAK 57.2K
$0.86 PKR 238
197.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 LAK 33.5K
$0.59 PKR 162
154.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.42 LAK 31.6K
$0.31 PKR 87.2
358.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 LAK 24.5K
$0.39 PKR 107
182.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 LAK 23.9K
$0.37 PKR 104
189.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 LAK 11.9K
$0.41 PKR 112
31.71%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$2.02 PKR 560
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.13 PKR 313
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.40 PKR 665
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.78 LAK 39.7K
$2.16 PKR 598
-17.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 LAK 221.8K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 LAK 26.0K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 LAK 41.3K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.50 LAK 11.1K
$0.16 PKR 43.44
212.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.9 LAK 1.3M
$10.21 PKR 2,828
466.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.26 LAK 28.0K
$0.86 PKR 239
46.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 LAK 22.3K
$0.57 PKR 157
75.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.43 LAK 98.9K
$2.13 PKR 589
107.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 LAK 30.4K
$1.17 PKR 324
16.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8K LAK 642.6M
$18.4K PKR 5.1M
56.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.9K LAK 645.1M
$25.2K PKR 7.0M
14.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$87.1 LAK 1.9M
$112 PKR 30.9K
-21.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.72 LAK 439.7K
$5.33 PKR 1,475
269.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.07 LAK 246.9K
$15.94 PKR 4,415
-30.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.6 LAK 1.2M
$16.12 PKR 4,466
244.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.82 LAK 174.4K
$10.90 PKR 3,018
-28.26%
Cinema Ticket
$3.28 LAK 73.1K
$4.29 PKR 1,189
-23.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$320 LAK 7.1M
$42.45 PKR 11.8K
652.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K LAK 236.7M
$1,378 PKR 381.6K
670.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.5 LAK 1.1M
$16.34 PKR 4,525
208.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.6 LAK 1.4M
$23.18 PKR 6,419
174.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.1 LAK 1.6M
$79.2 PKR 21.9K
-7.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.4 LAK 1.2M
$34.65 PKR 9,598
51.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$799 LAK 17.8M
$137 PKR 37.9K
483.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$481 LAK 10.7M
$77.4 PKR 21.4K
521.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,554 LAK 34.7M
$307 PKR 85.1K
405.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$969 LAK 21.6M
$171 PKR 47.3K
467.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,574 LAK 57.4M
$1,022 PKR 283.1K
151.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$890 LAK 19.9M
$533 PKR 147.7K
66.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Laos
Pakistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$483 LAK 10.8M
$188 PKR 51.9K
157.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.06
13.96
-27.94%

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

Last update for Laos: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $300 in Laos, $124 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $657 in Vientiane vs $278 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $236 in Laos, $182 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 142% higher in Laos.

Dining out costs 117% more in Pakistan.

Public transport is 100% more expensive in Laos.

Salaries are 30% higher in Laos, and purchasing power comes out stronger 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 $683 per month in Laos and $445 in Pakistan, there's a 53% 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.

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