🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $391 in Pakistan versus $960 in Maldives.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $592 in Pakistan versus $1,551 in Maldives.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $793 in Pakistan versus $2,142 in Maldives.
🙂Living in Pakistan costs about 59% less than in Maldives on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Pakistan71% lower, Maldives28% lower.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Maldives: monthly costs span $45.00 to $1,519, compared to $287–$537 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in Maldives.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.74PKR 485
$6.17MVR 95.1
-71.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.35PKR 3,435
$49.06MVR 757
-74.83%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.12PKR 1,145
$9.96MVR 154
-58.63%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.75PKR 486
$4.62MVR 71.2
-62.12%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.05PKR 1,126
$5.88MVR 90.7
-31.12%
Cappuccino
$1.73PKR 480
$3.06MVR 47.25
-43.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34PKR 94.5
$1.39MVR 21.49
-75.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23PKR 64.2
$0.35MVR 5.33
-34.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.81PKR 225
$1.74MVR 26.82
-53.45%
White Bread(500g)
$0.59PKR 165
$1.51MVR 23.28
-60.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.21PKR 336
$1.13MVR 17.35
7.08%
Eggs
$1.21PKR 335
$1.59MVR 24.59
-23.90%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.75PKR 1,599
$7.95MVR 123
-27.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.97PKR 827
$6.06MVR 93.5
-50.99%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.28PKR 1,189
$9.71MVR 150
-55.92%
Apples(1kg)
$1.00PKR 278
$4.06MVR 62.5
-75.37%
Banana(1kg)
$0.65PKR 182
$3.66MVR 56.5
-82.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.77PKR 214
$3.76MVR 58.0
-79.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.49PKR 137
$3.57MVR 55.0
-86.27%
Potato(1kg)
$0.38PKR 106
$1.48MVR 22.81
-74.32%
Onion(1kg)
$0.48PKR 135
$1.22MVR 18.75
-60.66%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.38PKR 106
$2.51MVR 38.71
-84.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.36PKR 99.7
$0.65MVR 10.01
-44.62%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$1.97PKR 547
$11.23MVR 173
-82.46%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.11PKR 308
$2.65MVR 40.79
-58.11%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07PKR 574
$8.07MVR 124
-74.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.04PKR 568
$8.17MVR 126
-75.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.17PKR 46.72
$0.67MVR 10.27
-74.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$7.03PKR 1,955
$28.51MVR 440
-75.34%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.91PKR 254
$1.92MVR 29.65
-52.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.52PKR 143
$1.97MVR 30.41
-73.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.75PKR 486
$7.97MVR 123
-78.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.90PKR 251
$0.98MVR 15.06
-8.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.5KPKR 4.9M
$31.9KMVR 491.3K
-44.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9KPKR 6.6M
$29.9KMVR 461.3K
-20.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$111PKR 31.0K
$115MVR 1,771
-3.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.51PKR 1,255
$41.53MVR 640
-89.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.47PKR 4,301
$70.0MVR 1,079
-77.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$12.94PKR 3,597
$76.6MVR 1,181
-83.10%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.95PKR 2,487
$36.00MVR 555
-75.14%
Cinema Ticket
$4.15PKR 1,154
$9.39MVR 145
-55.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$39.41PKR 11.0K
$168MVR 2,586
-76.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,155PKR 321.2K
$3,316MVR 51.1K
-65.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.48PKR 4,303
$42.31MVR 652
-63.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.74PKR 6,600
$50.7MVR 781
-53.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$72.7PKR 20.2K
$81.1MVR 1,250
-10.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.66PKR 9,082
$54.0MVR 833
-39.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$112PKR 31.0K
$994MVR 15.3K
-88.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$66.7PKR 18.5K
$688MVR 10.6K
-90.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$272PKR 75.6K
$1,618MVR 24.9K
-83.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$166PKR 46.2K
$1,413MVR 21.8K
-88.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$960PKR 266.9K
$2,660MVR 41.0K
-63.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$515PKR 143.3K
$836MVR 12.9K
-38.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pakistan
Maldives
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$186PKR 51.7K
$806MVR 12.4K
-76.93%
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: June 15, 2026
Last update for Maldives: June 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $77.0 in Pakistan, $641 in Maldives. Capital cities: $197 in Islamabad vs $969 in Male.
💰National salary averages: $183 in Pakistan, $743 in Maldives. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 732% higher in Maldives.
⭐Dining out costs 36% more in Maldives.
⭐Public transport is 71% more expensive in Maldives.
⭐Salaries are 306% higher in Maldives, giving Maldives stronger purchasing power.
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 $782 per month in Maldives and $412 in Pakistan, there's a 90% 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?
Pakistan is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 vs Pakistan?
In Pakistan, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Maldives, it works in regional areas but 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 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.