Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaysia and Pakistan Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaysia and Pakistan

Name: Pakistan
Address: PK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Malaysia versus $391 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,297 in Malaysia versus $593 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,741 in Malaysia versus $794 in Pakistan.

Living in Malaysia is roughly 118% more expensive than Pakistan on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Malaysia 36% lower, Pakistan 71% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Malaysia: monthly costs span $639 to $1,059, compared to $292–$543 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in Malaysia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.30

$1.72 PKR 480

110.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.88 MYR 94.3

$12.23 PKR 3,414

95.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 18.88

$4.15 PKR 1,157

15.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 503

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 PKR 1,125

Cappuccino

$2.68 MYR 10.58

$1.73 PKR 482

54.91%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.18

$0.33 PKR 92.9

142.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.68

$0.21 PKR 58.5

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 13.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MYR 18.22

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.09

$0.81 PKR 226

122.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$0.55 PKR 153

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.52

$1.20 PKR 336

16.67%

Eggs

$2.09 MYR 8.26

$1.21 PKR 337

72.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 MYR 53.6

$5.94 PKR 1,657

128.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 MYR 16.30

$2.95 PKR 824

40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.65 MYR 34.18

$4.22 PKR 1,179

104.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.39

$1.05 PKR 294

174.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 5.88

$0.62 PKR 173

140.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.49

$0.81 PKR 227

228.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.76

$0.52 PKR 145

180.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.44

$0.36 PKR 100

211.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.91

$0.48 PKR 135

158.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MYR 4.08

$0.39 PKR 108

164.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.28

$0.39 PKR 108

48.72%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 554

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 309

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 PKR 579

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 MYR 16.90

$1.97 PKR 551

117.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.83 MYR 78.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MYR 14.53

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.16 PKR 44.55

356.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.87 MYR 46.87

$7.00 PKR 1,953

69.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$0.90 PKR 250

27.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 MYR 3.02

$0.51 PKR 143

49.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.01 MYR 19.81

$1.74 PKR 485

187.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$0.90 PKR 252

-45.56%

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

$40.4K MYR 159.5K

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

125.46%

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

$31.6K MYR 124.7K

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

32.67%

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

$50.2 MYR 198

$111 PKR 30.9K

-54.63%

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

$10.03 MYR 39.61

$4.75 PKR 1,325

111.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.69 MYR 105

$15.51 PKR 4,328

72.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.91 MYR 146

$13.30 PKR 3,713

177.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.83 MYR 26.97

$8.50 PKR 2,372

-19.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 MYR 18.14

$4.22 PKR 1,178

8.77%

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

$182 MYR 718

$39.14 PKR 10.9K

364.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,885 MYR 27.2K

$1,145 PKR 319.5K

501.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 MYR 235

$15.80 PKR 4,409

277.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.90 MYR 134

$23.72 PKR 6,621

42.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 MYR 302

$72.3 PKR 20.2K

5.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 MYR 257

$33.09 PKR 9,236

96.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,540

$114 PKR 31.8K

242.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,078

$67.1 PKR 18.7K

306.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 MYR 2,882

$280 PKR 78.2K

160.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,848

$165 PKR 46.0K

183.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,189 MYR 8,646

$888 PKR 248.0K

146.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 MYR 4,721

$530 PKR 148.1K

125.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$947 MYR 3,739

$188 PKR 52.4K

403.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

18.97

-77.86%

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

Last update for Malaysia: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $366 in Malaysia, $78.0 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $563 in Kuala Lumpur vs $200 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $921 in Malaysia, $181 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 369% higher in Malaysia.

Dining out costs 73% more in Malaysia.

Public transport is 86% more expensive in Malaysia.

Salaries are 409% higher in Malaysia, giving Malaysia 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

Malaysia vs Pakistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $849 per month in Malaysia and $418 in Pakistan, there's a 103% 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 Malaysia 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 Malaysia, 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; Malaysia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.