Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $450 in Pakistan versus $720 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $678 in Pakistan versus $1,148 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $905 in Pakistan versus $1,576 in China.

Living in Pakistan costs about 38% less than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Pakistan 67% lower, China 48% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $468 to $1,236, compared to $296–$604 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 PKR 581

$2.93 ¥19.60

-28.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.51 PKR 4,021

$22.72 ¥152

-36.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PKR 1,533

$5.07 ¥33.95

9.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 PKR 594

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 PKR 1,120

Cappuccino

$2.04 PKR 564

$2.94 ¥19.70

-30.61%

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

$0.38 PKR 105

$0.48 ¥3.21

-20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.30 ¥2.02

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ¥7.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.07

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 PKR 235

$1.79 ¥11.99

-52.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 PKR 174

$1.70 ¥11.35

-62.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 339

$0.96 ¥6.45

27.08%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 337

$1.61 ¥10.79

-24.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 PKR 1,603

$13.60 ¥91.1

-57.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 PKR 803

$3.41 ¥22.84

-14.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.08 PKR 1,407

$11.07 ¥74.2

-54.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.81 ¥12.09

-37.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$1.30 ¥8.74

-46.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$1.48 ¥9.91

-43.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$1.30 ¥8.72

-56.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 95.0

$0.72 ¥4.82

-52.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 PKR 116

$0.94 ¥6.31

-55.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 95.1

$0.61 ¥4.08

-44.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.56 ¥3.73

-26.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.04 PKR 566

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 PKR 299

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PKR 644

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 594

$3.67 ¥24.58

-41.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 ¥79.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.56

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 48.48

$0.29 ¥1.92

-37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.87 PKR 2,736

$22.61 ¥151

-56.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 252

$1.45 ¥9.72

-37.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.34 ¥2.31

52.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 PKR 601

$7.27 ¥48.72

-70.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 PKR 337

$1.23 ¥8.26

-0.81%

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

$18.3K PKR 5.1M

$19.5K ¥130.9K

-6.31%

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

$25.4K PKR 7.0M

$17.2K ¥115.5K

47.53%

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

$108 PKR 30.0K

$55.5 ¥371

95.33%

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

$5.35 PKR 1,481

$8.51 ¥57.0

-37.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.67 PKR 4,340

$10.81 ¥72.4

44.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.93 PKR 4,412

$40.02 ¥268

-60.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.70 PKR 2,964

$14.80 ¥99.1

-27.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.41 PKR 1,222

$6.73 ¥45.09

-34.47%

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

$42.68 PKR 11.8K

$454 ¥3,042

-90.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,343 PKR 372.0K

$19.5K ¥130.8K

-93.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.94 PKR 4,417

$44.95 ¥301

-64.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.78 PKR 6,589

$35.81 ¥240

-33.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 PKR 21.8K

$76.8 ¥514

2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.79 PKR 9,361

$77.3 ¥518

-56.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$134 PKR 37.1K

$385 ¥2,581

-65.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.9 PKR 21.6K

$242 ¥1,623

-67.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 PKR 85.5K

$837 ¥5,603

-63.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 PKR 47.7K

$474 ¥3,177

-63.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,017 PKR 281.8K

$4,619 ¥30.9K

-77.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 PKR 144.5K

$2,316 ¥15.5K

-77.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.2K

$1,062 ¥7,110

-82.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.96

3.47

302.31%

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

Last update for Pakistan: September 7, 2026

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $122 in Pakistan, $295 in China. Capital cities: $270 in Islamabad vs $957 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $181 in Pakistan, $865 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 142% higher in China.

Dining out costs 62% more in China.

Public transport is 89% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 378% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

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

Pakistan vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $852 per month in China and $450 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 China 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 China 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; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.