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: $851 in Malaysia versus $392 in Pakistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,296 in Malaysia versus $592 in Pakistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,741 in Malaysia versus $792 in Pakistan.

Living in Malaysia is roughly 117% more expensive than Pakistan on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Malaysia 37% lower, Pakistan 71% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Malaysia: monthly costs span $654 to $1,048, compared to $289–$533 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in Malaysia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.54

$1.75 PKR 488

105.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.40 MYR 94.9

$12.30 PKR 3,421

90.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 MYR 18.85

$4.12 PKR 1,147

12.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 PKR 1,161

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 11.22

$1.72 PKR 479

61.05%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.24

$0.33 PKR 92.6

142.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.21 PKR 58.2

85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.25

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 MYR 19.35

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.40

$0.82 PKR 227

121.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.12

$0.55 PKR 152

85.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.75

$1.17 PKR 325

21.37%

Eggs

$1.99 MYR 8.07

$1.21 PKR 337

64.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 MYR 56.7

$5.92 PKR 1,645

136.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.00 MYR 16.24

$2.91 PKR 810

37.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.35 MYR 33.88

$4.14 PKR 1,151

101.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.32

$1.06 PKR 294

163.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.78

$0.62 PKR 172

130.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.48

$0.76 PKR 213

239.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.14

$0.53 PKR 147

184.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.51

$0.38 PKR 106

192.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.86

$0.48 PKR 134

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.39

$0.38 PKR 106

184.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.39 PKR 108

35.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.99 PKR 552

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 PKR 295

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 PKR 558

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 17.30

$2.04 PKR 567

109.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.67 MYR 79.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 MYR 11.69

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MYR 14.99

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.20 PKR 56.5

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 MYR 48.68

$7.26 PKR 2,020

65.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.87

$0.90 PKR 252

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 MYR 2.89

$0.52 PKR 146

36.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 MYR 19.96

$1.74 PKR 484

182.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.02

$0.96 PKR 268

-47.92%

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

$40.8K MYR 165.6K

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

134.73%

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

$31.4K MYR 127.3K

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

33.88%

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

$50.9 MYR 207

$111 PKR 30.9K

-54.13%

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

$10.18 MYR 41.28

$4.55 PKR 1,266

123.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.55 MYR 108

$15.24 PKR 4,236

74.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.90 MYR 150

$13.26 PKR 3,686

178.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 MYR 27.11

$8.49 PKR 2,360

-21.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MYR 18.84

$4.28 PKR 1,191

8.64%

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

$183 MYR 744

$38.97 PKR 10.8K

370.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,890 MYR 27.9K

$1,177 PKR 327.3K

485.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 MYR 249

$15.65 PKR 4,352

292.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.57 MYR 136

$23.01 PKR 6,398

45.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 MYR 304

$72.5 PKR 20.2K

3.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 MYR 264

$32.10 PKR 8,925

103.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,580

$111 PKR 30.8K

251.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,089

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

304.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 MYR 2,917

$271 PKR 75.5K

164.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 MYR 1,891

$166 PKR 46.0K

181.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 MYR 7,832

$987 PKR 274.5K

95.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,122 MYR 4,550

$517 PKR 143.8K

117.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$925 MYR 3,752

$184 PKR 51.0K

404.07%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Pakistan: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $365 in Malaysia, $78.0 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $579 in Kuala Lumpur vs $201 in Islamabad.

National salary averages: $936 in Malaysia, $183 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 368% higher in Malaysia.

Dining out costs 73% more in Malaysia.

Public transport is 86% more expensive in Malaysia.

Salaries are 411% 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 $851 per month in Malaysia and $411 in Pakistan, there's a 107% 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.