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