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: $907 in Malaysia versus $454 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,353 in Malaysia versus $683 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Malaysia versus $912 in Pakistan.

Living in Malaysia is roughly 100% more expensive than in Pakistan on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Malaysia 34% lower, Pakistan 67% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Malaysia: monthly costs span $537 to $1,143, compared to $297–$593 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in Malaysia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 MYR 15.18

$2.16 PKR 598

72.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.87 MYR 81.0

$14.02 PKR 3,887

41.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 MYR 20.36

$5.27 PKR 1,462

-5.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 PKR 596

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 PKR 1,135

Cappuccino

$2.87 MYR 11.70

$1.94 PKR 539

47.94%

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

$0.81 MYR 3.29

$0.39 PKR 107

107.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.22 PKR 60.8

77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.66 MYR 14.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 MYR 19.75

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.49

$0.87 PKR 242

110.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.21

$0.63 PKR 174

63.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.03

$1.17 PKR 323

26.50%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.73

$1.19 PKR 329

79.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.98 MYR 57.0

$5.67 PKR 1,572

146.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 MYR 16.76

$2.80 PKR 776

46.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 MYR 36.89

$5.02 PKR 1,392

80.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MYR 12.45

$1.13 PKR 314

169.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 MYR 6.49

$0.68 PKR 189

133.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.61

$0.86 PKR 238

202.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.41

$0.59 PKR 162

166.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.83

$0.31 PKR 87.2

283.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.27

$0.39 PKR 107

230.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.54

$0.37 PKR 104

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$0.41 PKR 112

34.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.02 PKR 561

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 PKR 314

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PKR 666

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MYR 17.54

$2.16 PKR 598

99.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.47 MYR 79.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 MYR 12.41

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 MYR 16.16

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.12

$0.16 PKR 43.47

375.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 MYR 49.58

$10.21 PKR 2,830

19.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$0.86 PKR 239

39.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 MYR 4.11

$0.57 PKR 157

77.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 MYR 25.50

$2.13 PKR 589

193.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 MYR 2.47

$1.17 PKR 324

-47.86%

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

$42.4K MYR 172.9K

$18.4K PKR 5.1M

130.47%

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

$35.1K MYR 143.4K

$25.2K PKR 7.0M

39.44%

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

$54.7 MYR 223

$112 PKR 30.9K

-50.94%

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

$10.18 MYR 41.53

$5.33 PKR 1,476

90.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.14 MYR 111

$15.94 PKR 4,418

70.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.49 MYR 153

$16.12 PKR 4,469

132.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.09 MYR 28.91

$10.90 PKR 3,020

-34.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MYR 20.11

$4.29 PKR 1,190

14.92%

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

$187 MYR 762

$42.45 PKR 11.8K

339.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,196 MYR 33.4K

$1,378 PKR 381.8K

494.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 MYR 257

$16.34 PKR 4,528

285.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.55 MYR 141

$23.18 PKR 6,423

49.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 MYR 323

$79.2 PKR 21.9K

0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 MYR 303

$34.65 PKR 9,604

114.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,619

$137 PKR 38.0K

189.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,106

$77.4 PKR 21.5K

250.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 MYR 2,870

$307 PKR 85.1K

129.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MYR 1,871

$171 PKR 47.4K

168.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,050 MYR 8,365

$1,022 PKR 283.3K

100.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,152 MYR 4,698

$533 PKR 147.8K

115.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$925 MYR 3,774

$188 PKR 52.0K

393.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

13.96

-69.63%

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

Last update for Malaysia: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $387 in Malaysia, $124 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $611 in Kuala Lumpur vs $278 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $895 in Malaysia, $182 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 212% higher in Malaysia.

Dining out costs 54% more in Malaysia.

Public transport is 44% more expensive in Malaysia.

Salaries are 392% higher in Malaysia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Malaysia.

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 $840 per month in Malaysia and $445 in Pakistan, there's a 89% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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.

Rent in Malaysia 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.

In Pakistan, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Malaysia it stretches only to regional areas and 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.