Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and Maldives Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and Maldives

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $454 in Pakistan versus $945 in Maldives.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $683 in Pakistan versus $1,554 in Maldives.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $912 in Pakistan versus $2,163 in Maldives.

Living in Pakistan costs about 52% less than in Maldives on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Pakistan 67% lower, Maldives 31% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Maldives: monthly costs span $43.00 to $1,534, compared to $297$593 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in Maldives.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.16 PKR 597
$6.58 MVR 102
-67.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.02 PKR 3,884
$51.1 MVR 789
-72.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.27 PKR 1,461
$9.93 MVR 153
-46.93%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.15 PKR 596
$5.01 MVR 77.3
-57.09%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09 PKR 1,134
$9.44 MVR 146
-56.67%
Cappuccino
$1.94 PKR 538
$3.45 MVR 53.1
-43.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 PKR 107
$1.53 MVR 23.52
-74.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 PKR 60.8
$0.31 MVR 4.79
-29.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.87 PKR 242
$1.85 MVR 28.56
-52.97%
White Bread (500g)
$0.63 PKR 174
$1.51 MVR 23.23
-58.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.17 PKR 323
$1.02 MVR 15.76
14.71%
Eggs
$1.19 PKR 329
$1.82 MVR 28.07
-34.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.67 PKR 1,571
$6.26 MVR 96.5
-9.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.80 PKR 775
$6.59 MVR 102
-57.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.02 PKR 1,391
$9.92 MVR 153
-49.40%
Apples (1kg)
$1.13 PKR 314
$4.12 MVR 63.5
-72.57%
Banana (1kg)
$0.68 PKR 189
$3.00 MVR 46.25
-77.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.86 PKR 238
$3.74 MVR 57.7
-77.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.59 PKR 162
$2.57 MVR 39.65
-77.04%
Potato (1kg)
$0.31 PKR 87.2
$1.84 MVR 28.45
-83.15%
Onion (1kg)
$0.39 PKR 107
$1.77 MVR 27.33
-77.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.37 PKR 104
$2.15 MVR 33.20
-82.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.41 PKR 112
$0.66 MVR 10.17
-37.88%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.02 PKR 560
$11.14 MVR 172
-81.87%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 PKR 313
$2.46 MVR 37.93
-54.07%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 PKR 665
$4.61 MVR 71.2
-47.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.16 PKR 598
$14.79 MVR 228
-85.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 PKR 43.44
$0.63 MVR 9.65
-74.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.21 PKR 2,828
$29.00 MVR 447
-64.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.86 PKR 239
$2.01 MVR 30.96
-57.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 PKR 157
$1.90 MVR 29.35
-70.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.13 PKR 589
$8.08 MVR 125
-73.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 PKR 324
$1.03 MVR 15.86
13.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.4K PKR 5.1M
$32.9K MVR 507.3K
-44.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K PKR 7.0M
$29.9K MVR 461.5K
-15.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$112 PKR 30.9K
$130 MVR 2,006
-14.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.33 PKR 1,475
$30.35 MVR 468
-82.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.94 PKR 4,415
$69.1 MVR 1,066
-76.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.12 PKR 4,466
$62.6 MVR 966
-74.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.90 PKR 3,018
$21.23 MVR 327
-48.66%
Cinema Ticket
$4.29 PKR 1,189
$9.12 MVR 141
-52.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$42.45 PKR 11.8K
$181 MVR 2,793
-76.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,378 PKR 381.6K
$2,851 MVR 44.0K
-51.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.34 PKR 4,525
$37.56 MVR 579
-56.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.18 PKR 6,419
$49.11 MVR 757
-52.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.2 PKR 21.9K
$88.5 MVR 1,364
-10.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$34.65 PKR 9,598
$52.4 MVR 808
-33.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$137 PKR 37.9K
$938 MVR 14.5K
-85.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$77.4 PKR 21.4K
$685 MVR 10.6K
-88.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$307 PKR 85.1K
$1,917 MVR 29.6K
-83.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$171 PKR 47.3K
$1,486 MVR 22.9K
-88.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,022 PKR 283.1K
$2,595 MVR 40.0K
-60.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$533 PKR 147.7K
$758 MVR 11.7K
-29.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$188 PKR 51.9K
$765 MVR 11.8K
-75.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.96
14
-0.29%

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

Last update for Pakistan: September 15, 2026

Last update for Maldives: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $124 in Pakistan, $609 in Maldives. Capital cities: $278 in Islamabad vs $966 in Male.

National salary averages: $182 in Pakistan, $733 in Maldives. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 391% higher in Maldives.

Dining out costs 46% more in Maldives.

Public transport is 44% more expensive in Maldives.

Salaries are 303% 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 $789 per month in Maldives and $445 in Pakistan, there's a 77% 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.

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