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: $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
$1.74 PKR 484
$6.07 MVR 93.6
-71.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.15 PKR 3,371
$48.95 MVR 755
-75.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.31 PKR 1,196
$9.88 MVR 152
-56.38%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.73 PKR 479
$4.84 MVR 74.7
-64.26%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.05 PKR 1,123
$5.99 MVR 92.3
-32.39%
Cappuccino
$1.80 PKR 500
$3.11 MVR 47.94
-42.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 PKR 94.0
$1.40 MVR 21.56
-75.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23 PKR 64.1
$0.34 MVR 5.27
-32.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.76 PKR 211
$1.71 MVR 26.29
-55.56%
White Bread (500g)
$0.55 PKR 151
$1.50 MVR 23.06
-63.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 PKR 327
$1.17 MVR 18.07
0.85%
Eggs
$1.16 PKR 321
$1.57 MVR 24.19
-26.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.84 PKR 1,620
$8.16 MVR 126
-28.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.91 PKR 806
$6.07 MVR 93.6
-52.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.15 PKR 1,151
$10.09 MVR 156
-58.87%
Apples (1kg)
$1.06 PKR 294
$4.01 MVR 61.8
-73.57%
Banana (1kg)
$0.61 PKR 170
$3.71 MVR 57.2
-83.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.80 PKR 222
$3.73 MVR 57.5
-78.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.49 PKR 137
$3.56 MVR 55.0
-86.24%
Potato (1kg)
$0.39 PKR 107
$1.42 MVR 21.93
-72.54%
Onion (1kg)
$0.51 PKR 142
$1.17 MVR 18.08
-56.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.38 PKR 107
$2.52 MVR 38.81
-84.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39 PKR 107
$0.65 MVR 9.95
-40.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.98 PKR 549
$11.46 MVR 177
-82.72%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 PKR 295
$2.65 MVR 40.85
-60.00%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 PKR 559
$8.21 MVR 127
-75.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.97 PKR 547
$7.78 MVR 120
-74.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.17 PKR 46.85
$0.63 MVR 9.66
-73.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.96 PKR 1,932
$28.53 MVR 440
-75.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.84 PKR 232
$1.96 MVR 30.26
-57.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 PKR 157
$2.01 MVR 30.96
-71.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 PKR 504
$8.13 MVR 125
-77.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.96 PKR 268
$0.92 MVR 14.22
4.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.5K PKR 4.8M
$32.5K MVR 501.7K
-46.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K PKR 6.6M
$30.5K MVR 469.6K
-22.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 PKR 30.4K
$116 MVR 1,790
-5.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.74 PKR 1,315
$40.88 MVR 630
-88.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.16 PKR 4,207
$70.9 MVR 1,093
-78.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.16 PKR 3,654
$77.7 MVR 1,198
-83.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.95 PKR 2,483
$35.00 MVR 540
-74.43%
Cinema Ticket
$4.12 PKR 1,145
$9.07 MVR 140
-54.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$39.53 PKR 11.0K
$171 MVR 2,630
-76.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,143 PKR 317.2K
$3,328 MVR 51.3K
-65.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.62 PKR 4,335
$42.24 MVR 651
-63.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.22 PKR 6,443
$49.74 MVR 767
-53.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.4 PKR 20.1K
$82.2 MVR 1,268
-11.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.81 PKR 9,105
$54.1 MVR 835
-39.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$111 PKR 30.7K
$979 MVR 15.1K
-88.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$67.8 PKR 18.8K
$684 MVR 10.5K
-90.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$274 PKR 76.1K
$1,631 MVR 25.1K
-83.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$163 PKR 45.3K
$1,402 MVR 21.6K
-88.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$984 PKR 273.1K
$2,622 MVR 40.4K
-62.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$502 PKR 139.2K
$757 MVR 11.7K
-33.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$186 PKR 51.7K
$779 MVR 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.

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