Cost of Living Comparison Between Shijiazhuang and Muzaffarabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Shijiazhuang and Muzaffarabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $658 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $286 in Muzaffarabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $957 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $492 in Muzaffarabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,257 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $698 in Muzaffarabad, rent included.

Shijiazhuang costs about 131% more than Muzaffarabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shijiazhuang and Muzaffarabad are more affordable than the global median – Shijiazhuang 51% lower, Muzaffarabad 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.64 ¥11.12

$1.43 PKR 398

14.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.57 ¥119

$14.04 PKR 3,898

25.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.80

$2.11 PKR 585

164.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 PKR 385

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 PKR 970

Cappuccino

$3.06 ¥20.70

$1.07 PKR 298

185.98%

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

$0.42 ¥2.83

$0.32 PKR 88.8

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ¥1.55

$0.21 PKR 58.1

9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ¥5.47

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ¥9.28

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥8.09

$0.84 PKR 233

41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ¥7.37

$0.52 PKR 145

109.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 ¥4.56

$1.26 PKR 349

-46.83%

Eggs

$1.20 ¥8.09

$1.16 PKR 323

3.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.55 ¥105

$6.10 PKR 1,695

154.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.46 ¥16.64

$2.66 PKR 739

-7.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 ¥63.9

$2.92 PKR 811

223.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.61

$0.93 PKR 259

36.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.65 PKR 180

69.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.95

$0.52 PKR 143

40.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.46 PKR 128

139.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 ¥3.65

$0.34 PKR 94.1

58.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.44 PKR 122

22.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.24 PKR 66.5

179.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.36 PKR 101

19.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.40 PKR 390

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 PKR 276

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 PKR 655

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 ¥24.20

$1.38 PKR 382

159.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.60 ¥24.33

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥4.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ¥4.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.37 PKR 102

-27.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.68 ¥113

$7.14 PKR 1,983

133.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ¥7.33

$0.84 PKR 233

28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.15

$0.33 PKR 90.9

-3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 ¥22.28

$2.59 PKR 718

27.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.63

$0.95 PKR 265

18.95%

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

$16.4K ¥111.1K

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

-8.41%

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

$16.4K ¥110.7K

$22.5K PKR 6.3M

-27.46%

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

$85.1 ¥576

$53.6 PKR 14.9K

58.93%

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

$4.00 ¥27.06

$4.02 PKR 1,117

-0.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.12 ¥41.40

$11.70 PKR 3,249

-47.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.93 ¥87.5

$7.19 PKR 1,997

79.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.98 ¥94.6

$5.34 PKR 1,482

161.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.25 ¥35.50

$3.64 PKR 1,010

44.23%

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

$383 ¥2,592

$25.13 PKR 6,978

1424.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,818 ¥32.6K

$934 PKR 259.3K

416.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.20 ¥272

$5.29 PKR 1,469

659.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.99 ¥162

$8.78 PKR 2,439

173.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 ¥476

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

-19.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.98 ¥338

$10.62 PKR 2,950

370.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥1,909

$59.2 PKR 16.4K

376.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 ¥1,279

$27.33 PKR 7,588

591.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 ¥2,596

$143 PKR 39.7K

168.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 ¥1,743

$111 PKR 30.9K

131.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,440 ¥16.5K

$821 PKR 228.1K

197.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$516 PKR 143.4K

229.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$792 ¥5,360

$290 PKR 80.6K

172.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.42

-82.00%

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

Last update for Shijiazhuang: July 12, 2026

Last update for Muzaffarabad: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Shijiazhuang versus $59.2 in Muzaffarabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 173% higher in Shijiazhuang, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Shijiazhuang versus $14.00 in Muzaffarabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $162 vs $84.0 – making Muzaffarabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Shijiazhuang vs Muzaffarabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shijiazhuang is pricier by about 131%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $987 per month in Shijiazhuang and $428 in Muzaffarabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Muzaffarabad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 93% more in Shijiazhuang, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Shijiazhuang and $14.00 in Muzaffarabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $658 in Shijiazhuang and $286 in Muzaffarabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Muzaffarabad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Muzaffarabad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shijiazhuang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.