🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $391 in Pakistan versus $967 in Maldives.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $590 in Pakistan versus $1,566 in Maldives.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $788 in Pakistan versus $2,165 in Maldives.
🌍Living in Pakistan costs about 60% less than in Maldives on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Pakistan 71% lower, Maldives 27% lower.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Maldives: monthly costs span $44.00 to $1,550, compared to $294–$532 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in Maldives.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.74PKR 484
$6.07MVR 93.6
-71.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.15PKR 3,371
$48.95MVR 755
-75.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.31PKR 1,196
$9.88MVR 152
-56.38%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.73PKR 479
$4.84MVR 74.7
-64.26%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.05PKR 1,123
$5.99MVR 92.3
-32.39%
Cappuccino
$1.80PKR 500
$3.11MVR 47.94
-42.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34PKR 94.0
$1.40MVR 21.56
-75.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23PKR 64.1
$0.34MVR 5.27
-32.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.76PKR 211
$1.71MVR 26.29
-55.56%
White Bread(500g)
$0.55PKR 151
$1.50MVR 23.06
-63.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18PKR 327
$1.17MVR 18.07
0.85%
Eggs
$1.16PKR 321
$1.57MVR 24.19
-26.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.84PKR 1,620
$8.16MVR 126
-28.43%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.91PKR 806
$6.07MVR 93.6
-52.06%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.15PKR 1,151
$10.09MVR 156
-58.87%
Apples(1kg)
$1.06PKR 294
$4.01MVR 61.8
-73.57%
Banana(1kg)
$0.61PKR 170
$3.71MVR 57.2
-83.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.80PKR 222
$3.73MVR 57.5
-78.55%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.49PKR 137
$3.56MVR 55.0
-86.24%
Potato(1kg)
$0.39PKR 107
$1.42MVR 21.93
-72.54%
Onion(1kg)
$0.51PKR 142
$1.17MVR 18.08
-56.41%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.38PKR 107
$2.52MVR 38.81
-84.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39PKR 107
$0.65MVR 9.95
-40.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$1.98PKR 549
$11.46MVR 177
-82.72%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.06PKR 295
$2.65MVR 40.85
-60.00%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01PKR 559
$8.21MVR 127
-75.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.97PKR 547
$7.78MVR 120
-74.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.17PKR 46.85
$0.63MVR 9.66
-73.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$6.96PKR 1,932
$28.53MVR 440
-75.60%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.84PKR 232
$1.96MVR 30.26
-57.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.57PKR 157
$2.01MVR 30.96
-71.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.81PKR 504
$8.13MVR 125
-77.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.96PKR 268
$0.92MVR 14.22
4.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.5KPKR 4.8M
$32.5KMVR 501.7K
-46.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KPKR 6.6M
$30.5KMVR 469.6K
-22.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$110PKR 30.4K
$116MVR 1,790
-5.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.74PKR 1,315
$40.88MVR 630
-88.41%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.16PKR 4,207
$70.9MVR 1,093
-78.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$13.16PKR 3,654
$77.7MVR 1,198
-83.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.95PKR 2,483
$35.00MVR 540
-74.43%
Cinema Ticket
$4.12PKR 1,145
$9.07MVR 140
-54.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$39.53PKR 11.0K
$171MVR 2,630
-76.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,143PKR 317.2K
$3,328MVR 51.3K
-65.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.62PKR 4,335
$42.24MVR 651
-63.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.22PKR 6,443
$49.74MVR 767
-53.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$72.4PKR 20.1K
$82.2MVR 1,268
-11.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.81PKR 9,105
$54.1MVR 835
-39.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$111PKR 30.7K
$979MVR 15.1K
-88.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$67.8PKR 18.8K
$684MVR 10.5K
-90.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$274PKR 76.1K
$1,631MVR 25.1K
-83.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$163PKR 45.3K
$1,402MVR 21.6K
-88.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$984PKR 273.1K
$2,622MVR 40.4K
-62.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$502PKR 139.2K
$757MVR 11.7K
-33.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$186PKR 51.7K
$779MVR 12.0K
-76.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
18.97
12.4
52.98%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Pakistan: July 25, 2026
Last update for Maldives: July 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $78.0 in Pakistan, $651 in Maldives. Capital cities: $197 in Islamabad vs $961 in Male.
💰National salary averages: $181 in Pakistan, $732 in Maldives. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 735% higher in Maldives.
⭐Dining out costs 36% more in Maldives.
⭐Public transport is 71% more expensive in Maldives.
⭐Salaries are 304% higher in Maldives, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Maldives.
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 Maldives: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Maldives or Pakistan?
At $797 per month in Maldives and $413 in Pakistan, there's a 93% 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?
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 Maldives and Pakistan?
Rent in Maldives 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 Maldives compared to Pakistan?
In Pakistan, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Maldives 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 Maldives and in 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.