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: $450 in Pakistan versus $924 in Malaysia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $678 in Pakistan versus $1,362 in Malaysia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $905 in Pakistan versus $1,800 in Malaysia.

Living in Pakistan costs about 51% less than in Malaysia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Pakistan 67% lower, Malaysia 33% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Malaysia: monthly costs span $530 to $1,143, compared to $296–$604 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in Malaysia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 PKR 581

$3.80 MYR 15.47

-44.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.51 PKR 4,021

$20.02 MYR 81.4

-27.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PKR 1,533

$5.03 MYR 20.45

9.94%

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

$2.89 MYR 11.76

-29.41%

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

$0.38 PKR 105

$0.79 MYR 3.22

-51.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.41 MYR 1.67

-41.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 MYR 15.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 MYR 20.42

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 PKR 235

$1.94 MYR 7.91

-56.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 PKR 174

$1.04 MYR 4.24

-39.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 339

$1.48 MYR 6.01

-17.57%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 337

$2.18 MYR 8.85

-44.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 PKR 1,603

$13.79 MYR 56.1

-58.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 PKR 803

$4.27 MYR 17.38

-32.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.08 PKR 1,407

$8.68 MYR 35.29

-41.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 PKR 313

$3.02 MYR 12.27

-62.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$1.68 MYR 6.82

-58.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$2.60 MYR 10.56

-67.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$1.55 MYR 6.32

-63.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 95.0

$1.22 MYR 4.95

-72.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 PKR 116

$1.36 MYR 5.52

-69.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 95.1

$1.14 MYR 4.63

-70.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.60 MYR 2.44

-31.67%

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

$4.54 MYR 18.46

-52.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.58 MYR 79.6

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.26

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 MYR 16.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 48.48

$0.77 MYR 3.15

-76.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.87 PKR 2,736

$12.51 MYR 50.9

-21.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 PKR 252

$1.22 MYR 4.97

-25.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 PKR 144

$1.01 MYR 4.09

-48.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 PKR 601

$6.33 MYR 25.77

-65.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 PKR 337

$0.65 MYR 2.65

87.69%

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

$18.3K PKR 5.1M

$42.7K MYR 173.9K

-57.17%

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

$25.4K PKR 7.0M

$35.3K MYR 143.8K

-28.01%

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

$108 PKR 30.0K

$54.6 MYR 222

98.37%

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

$5.35 PKR 1,481

$10.25 MYR 41.70

-47.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.67 PKR 4,340

$27.73 MYR 113

-43.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.93 PKR 4,412

$38.28 MYR 156

-58.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.70 PKR 2,964

$6.89 MYR 28.02

55.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.41 PKR 1,222

$4.89 MYR 19.91

-9.82%

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

$42.68 PKR 11.8K

$188 MYR 764

-77.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,343 PKR 372.0K

$8,326 MYR 33.9K

-83.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.94 PKR 4,417

$62.7 MYR 255

-74.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.78 PKR 6,589

$34.02 MYR 138

-30.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 PKR 21.8K

$80.7 MYR 328

-2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.79 PKR 9,361

$71.9 MYR 292

-52.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$134 PKR 37.1K

$396 MYR 1,610

-66.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.9 PKR 21.6K

$280 MYR 1,137

-72.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 PKR 85.5K

$714 MYR 2,904

-56.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 PKR 47.7K

$454 MYR 1,848

-62.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,017 PKR 281.8K

$2,094 MYR 8,517

-51.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 PKR 144.5K

$1,171 MYR 4,762

-55.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.2K

$904 MYR 3,676

-79.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.96

4.24

229.25%

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

Last update for Pakistan: September 7, 2026

Last update for Malaysia: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $122 in Pakistan, $409 in Malaysia. Capital cities: $270 in Islamabad vs $607 in Kuala Lumpur.

National salary averages: $181 in Pakistan, $897 in Malaysia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 235% higher in Malaysia.

Dining out costs 54% more in Malaysia.

Public transport is 44% more expensive in Malaysia.

Salaries are 396% higher in Malaysia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Malaysia.

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 $837 per month in Malaysia and $450 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.

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 Malaysia 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 Malaysia 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; Malaysia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.