Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and Malaysia Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and Malaysia

Name: Malaysia
Address: MY

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $392 in Pakistan versus $851 in Malaysia.

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

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

Living in Pakistan costs about 54% less than in Malaysia on average.

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

$1.75 PKR 488

$3.59 MYR 14.54

-51.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.30 PKR 3,421

$23.40 MYR 94.9

-47.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 PKR 1,147

$4.65 MYR 18.85

-11.40%

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

$1.72 PKR 479

$2.77 MYR 11.22

-37.91%

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

$0.33 PKR 92.6

$0.80 MYR 3.24

-58.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.2

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-46.15%

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)

$0.82 PKR 227

$1.82 MYR 7.40

-54.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 152

$1.02 MYR 4.12

-46.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 PKR 325

$1.42 MYR 5.75

-17.61%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.99 MYR 8.07

-39.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.92 PKR 1,645

$13.99 MYR 56.7

-57.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.91 PKR 810

$4.00 MYR 16.24

-27.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.14 PKR 1,151

$8.35 MYR 33.88

-50.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 294

$2.79 MYR 11.32

-62.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 PKR 172

$1.43 MYR 5.78

-56.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 PKR 213

$2.58 MYR 10.48

-70.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 147

$1.51 MYR 6.14

-64.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

$1.11 MYR 4.51

-65.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$1.20 MYR 4.86

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 106

$1.08 MYR 4.39

-64.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.53 MYR 2.17

-26.42%

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)

$2.04 PKR 567

$4.27 MYR 17.30

-52.22%

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)

$0.20 PKR 56.5

$0.68 MYR 2.78

-70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.26 PKR 2,020

$12.00 MYR 48.68

-39.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 PKR 252

$1.20 MYR 4.87

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 PKR 146

$0.71 MYR 2.89

-26.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 PKR 484

$4.92 MYR 19.96

-64.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 268

$0.50 MYR 2.02

92.00%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

$40.8K MYR 165.6K

-57.40%

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

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

$31.4K MYR 127.3K

-25.31%

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

$111 PKR 30.9K

$50.9 MYR 207

117.99%

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

$4.55 PKR 1,266

$10.18 MYR 41.28

-55.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 PKR 4,236

$26.55 MYR 108

-42.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.26 PKR 3,686

$36.90 MYR 150

-64.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.49 PKR 2,360

$6.69 MYR 27.11

26.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,191

$4.65 MYR 18.84

-7.96%

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

$38.97 PKR 10.8K

$183 MYR 744

-78.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,177 PKR 327.3K

$6,890 MYR 27.9K

-82.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.65 PKR 4,352

$61.4 MYR 249

-74.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.01 PKR 6,398

$33.57 MYR 136

-31.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 PKR 20.2K

$75.0 MYR 304

-3.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.10 PKR 8,925

$65.2 MYR 264

-50.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 PKR 30.8K

$390 MYR 1,580

-71.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.4 PKR 18.5K

$269 MYR 1,089

-75.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 PKR 75.5K

$719 MYR 2,917

-62.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 PKR 46.0K

$466 MYR 1,891

-64.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$987 PKR 274.5K

$1,931 MYR 7,832

-48.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$517 PKR 143.8K

$1,122 MYR 4,550

-53.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 PKR 51.0K

$925 MYR 3,752

-80.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.97

4.2

351.67%

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

Last update for Pakistan: June 6, 2026

Last update for Malaysia: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

National salary averages: $183 in Pakistan, $936 in Malaysia. 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

Pakistan vs Malaysia: 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.