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