Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and United Arab Emirates Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and United Arab Emirates

Name: United Arab Emirates
Address: AE

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $392 in Pakistan versus $1,938 in United Arab Emirates.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $591 in Pakistan versus $3,013 in United Arab Emirates.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $790 in Pakistan versus $4,087 in United Arab Emirates.

Living in Pakistan costs about 80% less than in United Arab Emirates on average.

Pakistan (71% below) and United Arab Emirates (45% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United Arab Emirates: monthly costs span $1,469 to $2,908, compared to $287–$529 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in United Arab Emirates.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 PKR 506

$8.21 AED 30.14

-77.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.25 PKR 3,409

$68.6 AED 252

-82.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 PKR 1,188

$9.39 AED 34.48

-54.53%

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

$5.29 AED 19.44

-66.54%

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

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$1.11 AED 4.09

-69.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.59 AED 2.15

-61.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.51 AED 42.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.08 AED 44.37

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 214

$1.89 AED 6.93

-59.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.39 AED 5.11

-59.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 340

$2.08 AED 7.63

-41.35%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$3.16 AED 11.60

-61.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.68 PKR 1,579

$10.27 AED 37.71

-44.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.00 PKR 835

$8.66 AED 31.82

-65.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.29 PKR 1,193

$11.31 AED 41.55

-62.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 284

$2.20 AED 8.07

-53.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 PKR 174

$1.82 AED 6.70

-65.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 PKR 213

$1.69 AED 6.22

-54.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 138

$1.43 AED 5.26

-65.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$1.09 AED 3.99

-67.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$1.27 AED 4.67

-62.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 106

$1.56 AED 5.75

-75.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 99.7

$0.61 AED 2.24

-40.98%

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

$6.44 AED 23.64

-69.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.80 AED 50.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 AED 8.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 AED 10.77

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 PKR 42.98

$1.39 AED 5.12

-89.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.14 PKR 1,986

$53.7 AED 197

-86.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 237

$3.30 AED 12.10

-74.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 PKR 143

$0.66 AED 2.43

-22.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 503

$8.08 AED 29.66

-77.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 249

$0.78 AED 2.88

15.38%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

$44.6K AED 163.9K

-60.94%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

$22.7K AED 83.4K

5.70%

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

$110 PKR 30.7K

$182 AED 667

-39.30%

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

$4.72 PKR 1,313

$59.8 AED 220

-92.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.34 PKR 4,268

$101 AED 370

-84.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.40 PKR 3,728

$71.8 AED 264

-81.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.53 PKR 2,374

$38.07 AED 140

-77.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 PKR 1,199

$13.65 AED 50.2

-68.42%

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

$38.86 PKR 10.8K

$672 AED 2,469

-94.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,143 PKR 318.1K

$12.2K AED 44.8K

-90.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.81 PKR 4,398

$66.7 AED 245

-76.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.47 PKR 6,529

$64.2 AED 236

-63.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 PKR 20.0K

$102 AED 376

-29.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.27 PKR 9,255

$105 AED 384

-68.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 PKR 30.9K

$1,745 AED 6,407

-93.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$67.3 PKR 18.7K

$1,164 AED 4,275

-94.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 PKR 75.7K

$3,285 AED 12.1K

-91.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.5K

$2,457 AED 9,022

-93.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$983 PKR 273.3K

$5,758 AED 21.1K

-82.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$519 PKR 144.4K

$3,147 AED 11.6K

-83.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.5K

$3,155 AED 11.6K

-94.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.97

4.63

309.72%

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

Last update for Pakistan: June 2, 2026

Last update for United Arab Emirates: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $78.0 in Pakistan, $1,114 in United Arab Emirates. Capital cities: $198 in Islamabad vs $1,473 in Abu Dhabi.

National salary averages: $187 in Pakistan, $2,958 in United Arab Emirates. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1328% higher in United Arab Emirates.

Dining out costs 364% more in United Arab Emirates.

Public transport is 629% more expensive in United Arab Emirates.

Salaries are 1482% higher in United Arab Emirates, giving United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $408 per month in Pakistan and $2,189 in United Arab Emirates, there's a 436% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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.

Rent in United Arab Emirates 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.

In Pakistan, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In United Arab Emirates, 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. Pakistan wins on affordability; United Arab Emirates may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.