Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and Laos Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and Laos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $391 in Pakistan versus $489 in Laos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $592 in Pakistan versus $766 in Laos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $792 in Pakistan versus $1,042 in Laos.

Living in Pakistan costs about 20% less than in Laos on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Pakistan 71% lower, Laos 63% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pakistan
Laos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.81 PKR 503
$2.34 LAK 52.6K
-22.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.15 PKR 3,375
$18.68 LAK 419.9K
-34.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.29 PKR 1,190
$5.44 LAK 122.2K
-21.14%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.75 PKR 485
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 PKR 1,106
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.74 PKR 482
$1.59 LAK 35.8K
9.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 PKR 100
$0.71 LAK 16.0K
-49.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.21 PKR 58.3
$0.42 LAK 9,367
-50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.35 LAK 30.4K
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.47 LAK 33.0K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pakistan
Laos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.78 PKR 216
$1.94 LAK 43.7K
-59.79%
White Bread (500g)
$0.56 PKR 155
$0.99 LAK 22.3K
-43.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.21 PKR 337
$1.03 LAK 23.1K
17.48%
Eggs
$1.20 PKR 334
$1.94 LAK 43.5K
-38.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.69 PKR 1,579
$24.04 LAK 540.4K
-76.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.84 PKR 789
$5.78 LAK 129.9K
-50.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.09 PKR 1,135
$6.22 LAK 139.9K
-34.24%
Apples (1kg)
$1.00 PKR 279
$1.78 LAK 40.1K
-43.82%
Banana (1kg)
$0.61 PKR 170
$1.36 LAK 30.6K
-55.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.76 PKR 212
$2.09 LAK 46.9K
-63.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.52 PKR 145
$2.35 LAK 52.9K
-77.87%
Potato (1kg)
$0.38 PKR 106
$1.64 LAK 36.9K
-76.83%
Onion (1kg)
$0.51 PKR 143
$1.08 LAK 24.2K
-52.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.38 PKR 106
$1.31 LAK 29.4K
-70.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.36 PKR 98.8
$0.45 LAK 10.1K
-20.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.01 PKR 559
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 PKR 304
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 PKR 578
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.96 PKR 545
$1.94 LAK 43.7K
1.03%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.03 LAK 225.5K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.11 LAK 25.1K
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.20 LAK 26.9K
-
🚌 Getting Around
Pakistan
Laos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.20 PKR 56.1
$0.58 LAK 13.0K
-65.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.24 PKR 2,011
$60.2 LAK 1.4M
-87.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.84 PKR 232
$1.55 LAK 34.8K
-45.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 PKR 145
$1.18 LAK 26.6K
-55.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.79 PKR 496
$4.55 LAK 102.3K
-60.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 PKR 248
$1.35 LAK 30.3K
-34.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.8K PKR 4.9M
$30.2K LAK 678.5M
-41.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K PKR 6.6M
$29.9K LAK 672.8M
-20.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pakistan
Laos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 PKR 30.5K
$85.0 LAK 1.9M
29.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.58 PKR 1,270
$20.23 LAK 454.8K
-77.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.58 PKR 4,326
$11.24 LAK 252.7K
38.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pakistan
Laos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.28 PKR 3,687
$60.4 LAK 1.4M
-78.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.84 PKR 2,456
$7.81 LAK 175.6K
13.19%
Cinema Ticket
$4.13 PKR 1,148
$2.44 LAK 54.9K
69.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pakistan
Laos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$39.62 PKR 11.0K
$311 LAK 7.0M
-87.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,170 PKR 324.9K
$9,459 LAK 212.6M
-87.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pakistan
Laos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.59 PKR 4,330
$52.2 LAK 1.2M
-70.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.77 PKR 6,601
$63.4 LAK 1.4M
-62.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.9 PKR 20.0K
$74.0 LAK 1.7M
-2.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.15 PKR 8,928
$54.3 LAK 1.2M
-40.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pakistan
Laos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$115 PKR 31.9K
$834 LAK 18.7M
-86.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$66.3 PKR 18.4K
$656 LAK 14.7M
-89.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$274 PKR 76.1K
$1,289 LAK 29.0M
-78.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$163 PKR 45.2K
$1,128 LAK 25.4M
-85.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$965 PKR 268.0K
$2,573 LAK 57.8M
-62.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$502 PKR 139.4K
$628 LAK 14.1M
-19.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pakistan
Laos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$186 PKR 51.6K
$481 LAK 10.8M
-61.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
18.97
10.12
87.45%

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

Last update for Pakistan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Laos: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $78.0 in Pakistan, $338 in Laos. Capital cities: $199 in Islamabad vs $873 in Vientiane.

National salary averages: $181 in Pakistan, $235 in Laos. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 333% higher in Laos.

Dining out costs 83% more in Pakistan.

Public transport is 157% more expensive in Laos.

Salaries are 30% higher in Laos.

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 Laos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Laos or Pakistan?
At $762 per month in Laos and $410 in Pakistan, there's a 86% 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: Laos or Pakistan?
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.
How do rents compare between Laos and Pakistan?
Rent in Laos 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.
How far does $1,000 go in Laos compared to Pakistan?
In Pakistan, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Laos it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Laos and in Pakistan?
It depends on what you're after: Pakistan wins on affordability; Laos may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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