Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldives and Pakistan Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldives and Pakistan

Monthly Cost of Living

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: Maldives 28% lower, Pakistan 71% 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
$5.88 MVR 90.7
$1.82 PKR 506
223.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.78 MVR 752
$12.25 PKR 3,409
298.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.62 MVR 148
$4.27 PKR 1,188
125.29%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.62 MVR 71.2
$1.80 PKR 500
156.67%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.90 MVR 91.0
$4.08 PKR 1,136
44.61%
Cappuccino
$3.13 MVR 48.25
$1.77 PKR 493
76.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 MVR 22.53
$0.34 PKR 93.3
329.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 MVR 5.33
$0.23 PKR 64.2
52.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MVR 25.94
$0.77 PKR 214
118.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.53 MVR 23.59
$0.56 PKR 155
173.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.11 MVR 17.16
$1.22 PKR 340
-9.02%
Eggs
$1.63 MVR 25.14
$1.21 PKR 337
34.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.78 MVR 120
$5.68 PKR 1,579
36.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.04 MVR 93.1
$3.00 PKR 835
101.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.08 MVR 155
$4.29 PKR 1,193
134.97%
Apples (1kg)
$4.03 MVR 62.2
$1.02 PKR 284
295.10%
Banana (1kg)
$3.81 MVR 58.7
$0.62 PKR 174
514.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.91 MVR 60.3
$0.77 PKR 213
407.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.42 MVR 52.7
$0.49 PKR 138
597.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 MVR 22.92
$0.35 PKR 98.2
325.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.22 MVR 18.83
$0.48 PKR 134
154.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.42 MVR 37.33
$0.38 PKR 106
536.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 MVR 9.99
$0.36 PKR 99.7
80.56%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$11.48 MVR 177
$1.91 PKR 532
501.05%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.74 MVR 42.22
$1.09 PKR 304
151.38%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.39 MVR 129
$2.00 PKR 557
319.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.15 MVR 126
$1.96 PKR 546
315.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.64 MVR 9.80
$0.15 PKR 42.98
326.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.75 MVR 428
$7.14 PKR 1,987
288.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.90 MVR 29.31
$0.85 PKR 237
123.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.93 MVR 29.69
$0.51 PKR 143
278.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.06 MVR 124
$1.81 PKR 503
345.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 MVR 14.15
$0.90 PKR 249
2.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.8K MVR 491.0K
$17.4K PKR 4.8M
82.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4K MVR 469.4K
$24.0K PKR 6.7M
26.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$115 MVR 1,772
$110 PKR 30.7K
4.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.99 MVR 648
$4.72 PKR 1,313
789.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.5 MVR 1,103
$15.34 PKR 4,268
366.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.5 MVR 1,195
$13.40 PKR 3,728
478.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.22 MVR 543
$8.53 PKR 2,374
312.90%
Cinema Ticket
$9.35 MVR 144
$4.31 PKR 1,199
116.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$173 MVR 2,671
$38.86 PKR 10.8K
345.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,272 MVR 50.4K
$1,143 PKR 318.1K
186.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.48 MVR 640
$15.81 PKR 4,398
162.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.6 MVR 781
$23.47 PKR 6,529
115.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.6 MVR 1,274
$72.0 PKR 20.0K
14.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.6 MVR 811
$33.27 PKR 9,255
58.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,013 MVR 15.6K
$111 PKR 30.9K
812.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$684 MVR 10.6K
$67.3 PKR 18.7K
916.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,660 MVR 25.6K
$272 PKR 75.7K
510.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,395 MVR 21.5K
$167 PKR 46.5K
735.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,603 MVR 40.1K
$983 PKR 273.4K
164.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$849 MVR 13.1K
$519 PKR 144.4K
63.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maldives
Pakistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$801 MVR 12.4K
$185 PKR 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.

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