Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakistan and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Pakistan: $472 a month against $2,701 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $26,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Pakistan
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Pakistan Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index

Jump to prices

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$472

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,701

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pakistan and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pakistan and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $472 in Pakistan versus $2,701 in the United States.

Pakistan $472
United States $2,701

Estimated couple costs with rent: $718 in Pakistan versus $3,980 in the United States.

Pakistan $718
United States $3,980

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $964 in Pakistan versus $5,258 in the United States.

Pakistan $964
United States $5,258

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $980 to $5,162, compared to $281–$599 in Pakistan. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in Pakistan costs about 83% less than in the United States on average.

Pakistan (65% below) and the United States (100% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.15 PKR 596

$19.92 $19.92

-89.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.73 PKR 3,800

$81.0 $81.0

-83.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 PKR 1,533

$12.07 $12.07

-54.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 PKR 604

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 PKR 1,214

Cappuccino

$1.96 PKR 543

$5.55 $5.55

-64.68%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.6

$2.67 $2.67

-86.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 57.9

$2.09 $2.09

-89.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.76 $7.76

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 PKR 227

$1.05 $1.05

-21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$3.55 $3.55

-82.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 PKR 329

$4.64 $4.64

-74.35%

Eggs

$1.18 PKR 326

$4.18 $4.18

-71.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.36 PKR 1,483

$12.76 $12.76

-57.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.89 PKR 801

$12.63 $12.63

-77.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.00 PKR 1,383

$17.22 $17.22

-70.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 PKR 318

$5.15 $5.15

-77.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 182

$1.64 $1.64

-59.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 PKR 230

$4.46 $4.46

-81.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 148

$4.98 $4.98

-89.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 85.1

$2.84 $2.84

-89.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$3.09 $3.09

-86.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 PKR 103

$2.19 $2.19

-83.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 105

$2.27 $2.27

-83.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.07 PKR 572

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 PKR 297

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PKR 643

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 PKR 608

$10.61 $10.61

-79.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 $3.82

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.99

$2.35 $2.35

-93.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.65 PKR 2,671

$64.1 $64.1

-84.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 237

$3.57 $3.57

-75.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 PKR 154

$1.85 $1.85

-69.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 PKR 607

$30.19 $30.19

-92.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 PKR 359

$1.07 $1.07

21.50%

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

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

$35.3K $35.3K

-49.55%

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

$25.4K PKR 7.0M

$25.9K $25.9K

-1.83%

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

$110 PKR 30.5K

$217 $217

-49.12%

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

$5.62 PKR 1,557

$61.4 $61.4

-90.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.21 PKR 4,486

$74.4 $74.4

-78.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.95 PKR 4,691

$45.08 $45.08

-62.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.27 PKR 3,120

$23.07 $23.07

-51.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.41 PKR 1,220

$14.79 $14.79

-70.18%

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

$45.68 PKR 12.6K

$1,480 $1,480

-96.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,539 PKR 426.1K

$25.5K $25.5K

-93.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.53 PKR 4,853

$53.0 $53.0

-66.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.38 PKR 6,472

$42.75 $42.75

-45.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 PKR 21.1K

$94.3 $94.3

-19.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.50 PKR 9,548

$115 $115

-70.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$139 PKR 38.5K

$1,678 $1,678

-91.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.9 PKR 22.1K

$1,313 $1,313

-93.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 PKR 89.3K

$2,649 $2,649

-87.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 47.8K

$2,183 $2,183

-92.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,021 PKR 282.7K

$3,374 $3,374

-69.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$533 PKR 147.6K

$2,661 $2,661

-79.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$193 PKR 53.3K

$4,404 $4,404

-95.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.1

6.55

115.27%

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

Last update for Pakistan: October 12, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pakistan

$132 28%

United States

$352 13% 167% $220

Groceries & Markets

Pakistan

$93 19.7%

United States

$411 15.2% 342% $318

Accommodation & Living

Pakistan

$80 16.9%

United States

$1.3K 48.6% 1545% $1.2K

Clothing & Footwear

Pakistan

$68 14.5%

United States

$137 5.1% 101% $69

Eating Out

Pakistan

$60 12.6%

United States

$327 12.1% 447% $267

Sport & Entertainment

Pakistan

$26 5.5%

United States

$75 2.8% 190% $49

Getting Around

Pakistan

$14 3%

United States

$86 3.2% 519% $72

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $125 in Pakistan, $1,609 in the United States. Capital cities: $276 in Islamabad vs $2,730 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $185 in Pakistan, $4,533 in the United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1187% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 477% more in the United States.

Public transport is 200% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are 2350% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Pakistan

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

08:25 8:25 AM

23:25 11:25 PM

9 h behind Pakistan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

223,773,700

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Pakistan United States 12,040 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Pakistan
United States

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $472 per month in Pakistan and $2,701 in the United States, there's a 472% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in Pakistan: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,609 in the United States and $125 in Pakistan. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In Pakistan, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in the United States it stretches only to regional areas and 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; the United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.