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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $637 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $287 in Muzaffarabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $945 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $489 in Muzaffarabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,253 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $690 in Muzaffarabad, rent included.

Shijiazhuang costs about 122% more than Muzaffarabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shijiazhuang and Muzaffarabad are more affordable than the global median – Shijiazhuang 52% lower, Muzaffarabad 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.66 ¥11.19

$1.37 PKR 382

21.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.49 ¥118

$14.42 PKR 4,011

21.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 ¥38.15

$2.15 PKR 598

162.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 PKR 382

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 PKR 977

Cappuccino

$2.91 ¥19.69

$1.03 PKR 286

182.52%

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

$0.41 ¥2.78

$0.32 PKR 88.8

28.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ¥1.55

$0.21 PKR 58.4

9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.79 ¥5.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ¥9.25

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥8.06

$0.80 PKR 221

48.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ¥7.35

$0.56 PKR 157

94.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ¥4.33

$1.25 PKR 349

-48.80%

Eggs

$1.15 ¥7.80

$1.16 PKR 323

-0.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.47 ¥105

$5.95 PKR 1,654

160.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 ¥17.24

$2.66 PKR 740

-4.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.37 ¥63.4

$2.94 PKR 817

218.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.53

$1.00 PKR 279

26.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.37

$0.63 PKR 176

73.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.65

$0.54 PKR 151

27.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$0.47 PKR 131

142.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ¥3.97

$0.36 PKR 101

63.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.43 PKR 120

34.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ¥4.64

$0.26 PKR 72.6

165.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 ¥2.95

$0.36 PKR 101

22.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.38 PKR 384

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 285

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PKR 645

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 ¥23.82

$1.43 PKR 398

146.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.76 ¥25.45

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ¥4.60

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥4.84

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.37 PKR 102

-27.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.92 ¥114

$7.00 PKR 1,947

141.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ¥7.31

$0.85 PKR 236

27.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.16

$0.35 PKR 98.7

-8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 ¥22.40

$2.69 PKR 748

23.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.92

$0.95 PKR 265

23.16%

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

$16.6K ¥112.1K

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

-4.79%

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

$16.3K ¥110.0K

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

-28.38%

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

$86.8 ¥587

$53.9 PKR 15.0K

61.14%

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

$3.93 ¥26.56

$4.00 PKR 1,114

-1.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.30 ¥42.58

$11.28 PKR 3,138

-44.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.64 ¥85.4

$7.11 PKR 1,978

77.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.72 ¥92.8

$5.37 PKR 1,493

155.49%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 ¥34.28

$3.47 PKR 965

46.11%

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

$381 ¥2,573

$24.39 PKR 6,786

1460.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,832 ¥32.7K

$934 PKR 259.9K

417.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.70 ¥262

$5.27 PKR 1,466

634.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.19 ¥164

$9.03 PKR 2,513

167.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 ¥470

$87.0 PKR 24.2K

-20.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.58 ¥335

$10.45 PKR 2,907

374.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥1,909

$59.0 PKR 16.4K

378.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 ¥1,282

$27.15 PKR 7,553

598.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 ¥2,603

$143 PKR 39.7K

169.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 ¥1,772

$110 PKR 30.7K

137.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,509 ¥17.0K

$1,020 PKR 283.7K

146.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,655 ¥11.2K

$441 PKR 122.6K

275.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$797 ¥5,388

$291 PKR 80.9K

173.89%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Muzaffarabad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Shijiazhuang versus $59.0 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 174% 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 $17.00 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 122%, 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 $956 per month in Shijiazhuang and $431 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 $17.00 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 $637 in Shijiazhuang and $287 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.