😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $960 in Maldives versus $392 in Pakistan.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,569 in Maldives versus $591 in Pakistan.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,177 in Maldives versus $790 in Pakistan.
😐Living in Maldives is roughly 145% more expensive than Pakistan on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Maldives28% lower, Pakistan71% lower.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Maldives: monthly costs span $43.00 to $1,524, compared to $287–$529 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in Maldives.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.88MVR 90.7
$1.82PKR 506
223.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.78MVR 752
$12.25PKR 3,409
298.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.62MVR 148
$4.27PKR 1,188
125.29%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.62MVR 71.2
$1.80PKR 500
156.67%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.90MVR 91.0
$4.08PKR 1,136
44.61%
Cappuccino
$3.13MVR 48.25
$1.77PKR 493
76.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46MVR 22.53
$0.34PKR 93.3
329.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35MVR 5.33
$0.23PKR 64.2
52.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MVR 25.94
$0.77PKR 214
118.18%
White Bread(500g)
$1.53MVR 23.59
$0.56PKR 155
173.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.11MVR 17.16
$1.22PKR 340
-9.02%
Eggs
$1.63MVR 25.14
$1.21PKR 337
34.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.78MVR 120
$5.68PKR 1,579
36.97%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.04MVR 93.1
$3.00PKR 835
101.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.08MVR 155
$4.29PKR 1,193
134.97%
Apples(1kg)
$4.03MVR 62.2
$1.02PKR 284
295.10%
Banana(1kg)
$3.81MVR 58.7
$0.62PKR 174
514.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.91MVR 60.3
$0.77PKR 213
407.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.42MVR 52.7
$0.49PKR 138
597.96%
Potato(1kg)
$1.49MVR 22.92
$0.35PKR 98.2
325.71%
Onion(1kg)
$1.22MVR 18.83
$0.48PKR 134
154.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.42MVR 37.33
$0.38PKR 106
536.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65MVR 9.99
$0.36PKR 99.7
80.56%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$11.48MVR 177
$1.91PKR 532
501.05%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.74MVR 42.22
$1.09PKR 304
151.38%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.39MVR 129
$2.00PKR 557
319.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.15MVR 126
$1.96PKR 546
315.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.64MVR 9.80
$0.15PKR 42.98
326.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$27.75MVR 428
$7.14PKR 1,987
288.66%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.90MVR 29.31
$0.85PKR 237
123.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.93MVR 29.69
$0.51PKR 143
278.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.06MVR 124
$1.81PKR 503
345.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.92MVR 14.15
$0.90PKR 249
2.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.8KMVR 491.0K
$17.4KPKR 4.8M
82.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4KMVR 469.4K
$24.0KPKR 6.7M
26.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$115MVR 1,772
$110PKR 30.7K
4.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.99MVR 648
$4.72PKR 1,313
789.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.5MVR 1,103
$15.34PKR 4,268
366.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$77.5MVR 1,195
$13.40PKR 3,728
478.43%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.22MVR 543
$8.53PKR 2,374
312.90%
Cinema Ticket
$9.35MVR 144
$4.31PKR 1,199
116.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$173MVR 2,671
$38.86PKR 10.8K
345.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,272MVR 50.4K
$1,143PKR 318.1K
186.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.48MVR 640
$15.81PKR 4,398
162.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.6MVR 781
$23.47PKR 6,529
115.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$82.6MVR 1,274
$72.0PKR 20.0K
14.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.6MVR 811
$33.27PKR 9,255
58.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,013MVR 15.6K
$111PKR 30.9K
812.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$684MVR 10.6K
$67.3PKR 18.7K
916.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,660MVR 25.6K
$272PKR 75.7K
510.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,395MVR 21.5K
$167PKR 46.5K
735.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,603MVR 40.1K
$983PKR 273.4K
164.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$849MVR 13.1K
$519PKR 144.4K
63.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$801MVR 12.4K
$185PKR 51.5K
333.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
12.4
18.97
-34.63%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Maldives: May 31, 2026
Last update for Pakistan: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $652 in Maldives, $78.0 in Pakistan. Capital cities: $970 in Male vs $198 in Islamabad.
💰National salary averages: $749 in Maldives, $187 in Pakistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 736% higher in Maldives.
⭐Dining out costs 36% more in Maldives.
⭐Public transport is 71% more expensive in Maldives.
⭐Salaries are 301% higher in Maldives, giving Maldives 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
Maldives vs Pakistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Maldives or Pakistan?
At $784 per month in Maldives and $408 in Pakistan, there's a 92% 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: Maldives or Pakistan?
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.
How do rents compare between Maldives and Pakistan?
Rent in Maldives 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.
How far does $1,000 go in Maldives vs Pakistan?
In Pakistan, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Maldives, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Maldives and Pakistan?
It depends on what you're after. Pakistan wins on affordability; Maldives may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.