Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bago and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $696 in Bago, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Bago
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Bago Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index

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Bago

🇵🇭 Philippines

$696

/mo nomad

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$482

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bago and in Karachi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $696 in Bago versus $482 in Karachi.

Bago $696
Karachi $482

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,085 in Bago versus $750 in Karachi.

Bago $1,085
Karachi $750

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,475 in Bago versus $1,018 in Karachi.

Bago $1,475
Karachi $1,018

Living in Bago is roughly 45% more expensive than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bago 48% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.77 ₱237

$2.13 PKR 588

77.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.36 ₱967

$13.30 PKR 3,680

15.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.13 ₱197

$5.45 PKR 1,508

-42.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 607

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 PKR 2,005

Cappuccino

$2.06 ₱130

$2.09 PKR 579

-1.44%

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

$0.71 ₱44.84

$0.40 PKR 111

77.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.26

$0.26 PKR 71.1

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₱66.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱132

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ₱91.5

$0.92 PKR 254

57.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 ₱65.8

$0.56 PKR 156

87.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 ₱56.0

$1.25 PKR 345

-28.80%

Eggs

$1.70 ₱107

$1.23 PKR 341

38.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.64 ₱355

$5.67 PKR 1,570

-0.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 ₱294

$3.16 PKR 876

48.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 ₱473

$6.28 PKR 1,737

19.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ₱169

$1.26 PKR 348

112.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ₱109

$0.53 PKR 148

224.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₱163

$1.00 PKR 276

158.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 ₱81.4

$0.56 PKR 154

130.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ₱109

$0.33 PKR 91.4

421.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 ₱117

$0.34 PKR 95.1

447.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₱63.3

$0.42 PKR 116

140.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.69

$0.44 PKR 121

13.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 346

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 365

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PKR 670

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₱207

$1.84 PKR 509

79.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.16 ₱451

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₱56.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₱117

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ₱13.43

$0.28 PKR 77.0

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 ₱683

$9.99 PKR 2,764

8.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 ₱41.31

$0.92 PKR 256

-28.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.56

$0.70 PKR 193

-67.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₱121

$2.16 PKR 597

-10.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ₱81.5

$1.38 PKR 382

-5.80%

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

$24.5K ₱1.5M

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

36.80%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

-30.67%

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

$109 ₱6,893

$113 PKR 31.4K

-3.50%

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

$13.03 ₱821

$5.95 PKR 1,648

118.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.14 ₱1,646

$13.16 PKR 3,642

98.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.61 ₱1,864

$21.55 PKR 5,965

37.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.30 ₱333

$18.23 PKR 5,044

-70.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 ₱313

$4.21 PKR 1,165

18.05%

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

$130 ₱8,157

$52.2 PKR 14.4K

148.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,189 ₱515.6K

$1,940 PKR 537.0K

322.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.58 ₱2,303

$17.55 PKR 4,858

108.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.81 ₱1,373

$23.51 PKR 6,506

-7.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,823

$68.9 PKR 19.1K

11.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.2 ₱3,977

$40.59 PKR 11.2K

55.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 ₱18.5K

$118 PKR 32.7K

149.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 ₱9,268

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

99.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ₱28.6K

$357 PKR 98.9K

27.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ₱21.9K

$188 PKR 52.0K

84.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,607 ₱164.2K

$1,060 PKR 293.4K

145.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$876 ₱55.1K

$481 PKR 133.1K

82.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 PKR 50.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

13.21

-48.60%

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

Last update for Bago: October 11, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Bago

$180 25.9%

Karachi

$101 21% 43.8% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bago

$149 21.4%

Karachi

$133 27.5% 10.8% $16

Accommodation & Living

Bago

$147 21.2%

Karachi

$74 15.3% 50% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Bago

$89 12.8%

Karachi

$68 14.1% 24% $21

Eating Out

Bago

$78 11.2%

Karachi

$61 12.7% 21.5% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Bago

$40 5.7%

Karachi

$30 6.2% 24.2% $9.6

Getting Around

Bago

$14 1.9%

Karachi

$16 3.2% 14.9% $2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $294 in Bago and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $15.00 in Bago vs $13.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $101 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Bago

🇵🇰 Karachi

🕒 Local time

04:43 4:43 AM

01:43 1:43 AM

3 h behind Bago

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

191,210

14,910,352

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bago Karachi 6,080 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Bago
Karachi

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

Bago vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,044 in Bago and $723 in Karachi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $294 in Bago versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $130 in Bago versus $52.2 in Karachi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Bago. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Karachi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Bago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.