- Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin claims Pakistan is the cheapest among 139 countries in the world.
- Minister shares screenshots of latest cost of living index on official Twitter handle.
- Cost of living in Pakistan is 71.52% lower on average than in the United States, stated database.
Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin claimed Sunday that Pakistan is the cheapest among 139 countries in the world, however, the opposition leaders rejected the claim and severely criticised the government over the unprecedented inflation inflicted on people during the past three-and-a-half years, The News reported.
Taking to Twitter, the minister shared the screenshots of a latest cost of living index on his official Twitter handle. He said Pakistan was the cheapest country among the 139 countries in the world.
In response to the finance minister’s statement, President of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Maulana Fazlur Rehman questioned how the government could claim that Pakistan was a cheap country to live in when people were committing suicide as a result of price hikes, joblessness, and the country’s extremely high cost of living.
He said that such assertions contradict the reality on ground, and that the ‘selected’ government will be deposed soon with the help of the people.
According to the finance minister, Numbeo’s — the world’s largest cost of living database — deemed Pakistan the least expensive country among 139 countries, and it is not the “government’s claims.” According to the Numbeo index, a family of four in Pakistan spends roughly Rs171,783.24 per month (without rent), whereas a single person spends around Rs51,798.76 per month (without rent).
According to the database, the cost of living in Pakistan is 71.52% lower on average than in the United States. The rent for a home in Pakistan is said to be 90.64% less than in the United States.
According to the Numbeo database, milk costs Rs122.56 per litre in Pakistan, rice costs Rs159.07 per kg, and eggs cost Rs175.04 each dozen. In Pakistan, chicken meat costs Rs393.45 per kg, beef costs Rs645.1 per kg, apples cost Rs170 per kg, oranges cost Rs115.29 per kg, tomatoes cost Rs77.86 per kg, potatoes cost Rs55.16 per kg, onions cost Rs52 per kg, water (1.5-litre bottle) costs Rs61.01, and cigarettes 20 pack (Marlboro) costs Rs250.
The Numbeo database says that one-way tickets (local transportation) cost about Rs40, taxis start at Rs150, taxi per km costs about Rs36.61, and a new Toyota Corolla sedan costs about Rs3.24 million.
Similarly, basic utilities (electricity, heating, cooling, water, garbage) for an 85 m2 apartment cost around Rs11,425,43 per month, one minute of prepaid mobile tariff local costs Rs2.67, the internet (unlimited monthly data) costs Rs3,596.98, one pair of jeans (Levis or similar) costs Rs2,527, a summer dress in a chain store costs Rs3,980, a pair of Nike running shoes (mid-range) costs Rs8,412.
Similarly, according to the Numbeo database, the average price of a one-bedroom apartment in Pakistan’s city centre is Rs20,341, a one-bedroom apartment outside of the city centre is Rs12,999.81, a three-bedroom apartment in the city centre is Rs45,441, and a three-bedroom apartment outside of the city centre is Rs28,861. An apartment in the city core costs roughly Rs131,744 per square metre, whereas an apartment outside the city centre costs around Rs73,749 per square metre.
According to the Numbeo website, 794 distinct contributors submitted 1,0285 entries in the last year. It also stated that the data was last updated this month.
