Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and Sri Lanka Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Name: Sri Lanka
Address: LK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $392 in Pakistan versus $485 in Sri Lanka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $591 in Pakistan versus $780 in Sri Lanka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $790 in Pakistan versus $1,075 in Sri Lanka.

Living in Pakistan costs about 19% less than in Sri Lanka on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Pakistan 71% lower, Sri Lanka 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 PKR 506

$3.37 LKR 1,117

-45.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.25 PKR 3,409

$23.64 LKR 7,839

-48.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 PKR 1,188

$6.89 LKR 2,285

-38.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 PKR 1,136

Cappuccino

$1.77 PKR 493

$2.67 LKR 886

-33.71%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.73 LKR 243

-53.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.39 LKR 131

-41.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 769

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 LKR 1,098

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 214

$1.66 LKR 549

-53.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.54 LKR 179

3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 340

$0.79 LKR 263

54.43%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$2.18 LKR 723

-44.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.68 PKR 1,579

$12.92 LKR 4,285

-56.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.00 PKR 835

$4.98 LKR 1,653

-39.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.29 PKR 1,193

$7.81 LKR 2,589

-45.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 284

$7.26 LKR 2,407

-85.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 PKR 174

$1.01 LKR 335

-38.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 PKR 213

$5.74 LKR 1,905

-86.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 138

$1.34 LKR 443

-63.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$1.09 LKR 360

-67.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$1.17 LKR 387

-58.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 106

$1.17 LKR 387

-67.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 99.7

$0.54 LKR 180

-33.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.91 PKR 532

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 PKR 304

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 PKR 557

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 PKR 546

$10.00 LKR 3,316

-80.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 LKR 3,953

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 687

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 LKR 966

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 PKR 42.98

$0.22 LKR 72.8

-31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.14 PKR 1,987

$4.89 LKR 1,621

46.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 237

$0.41 LKR 136

107.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 PKR 143

$0.36 LKR 118

41.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 503

$0.51 LKR 169

254.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 249

$1.31 LKR 433

-31.30%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

$26.7K LKR 8.8M

-34.67%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

$38.7K LKR 12.8M

-38.03%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$110 PKR 30.7K

$46.85 LKR 15.5K

135.39%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.72 PKR 1,313

$4.48 LKR 1,486

5.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.34 PKR 4,268

$15.57 LKR 5,162

-1.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.40 PKR 3,728

$12.73 LKR 4,222

5.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.53 PKR 2,374

$6.18 LKR 2,051

38.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 PKR 1,199

$3.37 LKR 1,117

27.89%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$38.86 PKR 10.8K

$36.68 LKR 12.2K

5.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,143 PKR 318.1K

$440 LKR 146.0K

159.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.81 PKR 4,398

$27.34 LKR 9,066

-42.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.47 PKR 6,529

$19.01 LKR 6,304

23.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 PKR 20.0K

$65.1 LKR 21.6K

10.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.27 PKR 9,255

$36.62 LKR 12.1K

-9.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 PKR 30.9K

$269 LKR 89.1K

-58.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$67.3 PKR 18.7K

$139 LKR 46.0K

-51.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 PKR 75.7K

$622 LKR 206.1K

-56.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.5K

$272 LKR 90.1K

-38.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$983 PKR 273.4K

$3,686 LKR 1.2M

-73.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$519 PKR 144.4K

$1,132 LKR 375.5K

-54.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.5K

$212 LKR 70.1K

-12.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.97

16.21

17.03%

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

Last update for Pakistan: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sri Lanka: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $78.0 in Pakistan, $55.0 in Sri Lanka. Capital cities: $198 in Islamabad vs $335 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.

National salary averages: $187 in Pakistan, $193 in Sri Lanka. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 42% higher in Pakistan.

Dining out costs 73% more in Sri Lanka.

Public transport is 600% more expensive in Pakistan.

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 Sri Lanka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $408 per month in Pakistan and $367 in Sri Lanka, there's a 11% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Sri Lanka 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.

Rent in Pakistan beats Sri Lanka across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Sri Lanka, $1,200 covers most cities easily. In Pakistan, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Sri Lanka wins on affordability; Pakistan may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.