Cost of Living in Pakistan

RESTAURANTS

Eating out will definitely be a draw from your budget, compared to the option of cooking for yourself, but if you’re coming from any of the more developed countries, you won’t find restaurants expensive at all.

A meal at an inexpensive restaurant will cost you less than 2$, while a dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant costs around 12$.

MARKETS

The price of groceries depends on where you go shopping.

You can find very good, quality food for the whole family for 200$.

The prices vary from sector to sector, as in F sector has higher food prices, while in the G sector prices are low.

In some of the cheaper cities of the country, groceries would cost you at least 30%+ more than they cost in other cities of Pakistan.

TRANSPORTATION

As for transportation costs, you have a couple of options.

If you use your own car, fuel will cost you around 100$ a month, including oil and regular maintenance cost.

Public transport is not very good and you will have to use rickshaws, which are very cheap.

However, qingqi rickshaw is very cheap but not available that often.

Be aware that, if you are from the West, most people will try to overcharge you as often as they can.

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

The cost of bills for utilities depends greatly on the season: during winter they cost around 30$, while during summers they can go up to 200$ if you’re not careful with your AC!

Generally speaking, for an apartment of about 85m2, all basic utilities like electricity, gas, and garbage services cost around 60$ a month.

SPORTS & LEISURE

The cost of enjoying sports and fitness activities is definitely high for someone living and working in Pakistan long term – not as much for those who are only tourists coming from western countries.

If you want to become a member of a gym or a fitness club, it costs around 12$, while cinema tickets are relatively cheap – again, mostly for tourists – 4$ per ticket.

CLOTHING & SHOES

There are many shopping centers in Pakistan, and the prices of clothes are very low – significantly lower than in Europe or the US.

For quality jeans like Levi’s, you’ll pay only about 12$, while summer dresses and shirts in chain stores like Zara or Mango cost more, around 20$.

Running sneakers cost only around 40$ a pair.

RENT PER MONTH

With the economy growing and more places like Barhia Town being built and added to the general constitution of Pakistan, the rent is only going to go up.

You can get a nice one-bedroom apartment in the city center for around 100$.

It can be much cheaper if you opt to live below average or further from the city.

HEALTHCARE

Oman has a public healthcare system that is largely free for citizens, funded through taxes, while private insurance is common for expatriates and optional for locals, typically costing 50 to 120 USD per month.

Out-of-pocket expenses average roughly 200 to 500 USD per person per year for medications and private services.

With average monthly salaries near 2,500 USD, healthcare costs are generally affordable.

EDUCATION

Public primary and secondary schools are tuition-free, but families pay for uniforms, books, and supplies, typically $50 to $300 per year.

Private schools and international schools charge $1,500 to $10,000 per year.

Public universities charge modest tuition, usually $200 to $1,500 annually, while private universities can cost $2,000 to $6,000 per year.

Students also pay for housing, food, transport, and textbooks.

The average monthly income is about $250, so private schooling and university costs are a significant portion of household income.