Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $490 a month against $1,144 in Bangkok, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

55

Cost of Living Index in Bangkok
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Bangkok Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index

Jump to prices

Bangkok

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,144

/mo nomad

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$490

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bangkok 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 Bangkok and in Karachi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,144 in Bangkok versus $490 in Karachi.

Bangkok $1,144
Karachi $490

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,806 in Bangkok versus $755 in Karachi.

Bangkok $1,806
Karachi $755

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,467 in Bangkok versus $1,019 in Karachi.

Bangkok $2,467
Karachi $1,019

Living in Bangkok is roughly 134% more expensive than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 15% lower, Karachi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.95 ฿99.1

$2.15 PKR 596

37.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.28 ฿1,220

$13.37 PKR 3,700

171.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.83 ฿229

$5.29 PKR 1,464

29.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 606

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 PKR 2,005

Cappuccino

$2.73 ฿91.7

$2.11 PKR 583

29.38%

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

$0.63 ฿21.33

$0.37 PKR 103

70.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿12.23

$0.28 PKR 78.2

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ฿87.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ฿151

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿64.0

$0.86 PKR 238

120.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ฿51.0

$0.52 PKR 144

192.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 ฿47.92

$1.24 PKR 344

15.32%

Eggs

$2.49 ฿83.6

$1.24 PKR 342

100.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.59 ฿591

$5.86 PKR 1,622

200.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿122

$3.12 PKR 862

16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.19 ฿443

$6.25 PKR 1,730

111.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 ฿135

$1.29 PKR 356

210.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿59.1

$0.54 PKR 150

225.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.5

$0.99 PKR 273

180.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 ฿63.1

$0.56 PKR 155

235.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ฿58.6

$0.33 PKR 91.6

427.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.3

$0.35 PKR 95.8

345.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ฿43.48

$0.45 PKR 124

186.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.43

$0.44 PKR 121

18.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 PKR 341

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 PKR 380

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 676

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 ฿157

$1.79 PKR 497

160.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 ฿507

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿62.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ฿37.13

$0.28 PKR 76.5

292.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.25 ฿1,185

$9.68 PKR 2,679

264.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.48

$0.92 PKR 255

15.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 ฿40.81

$0.71 PKR 196

70.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.01 ฿202

$2.22 PKR 615

170.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$1.35 PKR 372

0.74%

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

$31.0K ฿1.0M

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

73.91%

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

$26.7K ฿896.2K

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

-0.31%

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

$106 ฿3,580

$112 PKR 30.9K

-4.75%

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

$14.72 ฿495

$6.05 PKR 1,673

143.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.94 ฿603

$13.29 PKR 3,679

34.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ฿1,944

$21.51 PKR 5,954

168.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.80 ฿632

$17.80 PKR 4,927

5.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 ฿251

$4.42 PKR 1,222

68.78%

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

$579 ฿19.5K

$50.7 PKR 14.0K

1040.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K ฿546.9K

$1,957 PKR 541.6K

731.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 ฿2,344

$17.57 PKR 4,862

296.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.48 ฿1,428

$22.78 PKR 6,304

86.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 ฿3,287

$67.6 PKR 18.7K

44.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ฿3,621

$40.97 PKR 11.3K

162.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 ฿22.3K

$117 PKR 32.4K

466.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 ฿11.5K

$75.7 PKR 21.0K

352.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 ฿66.5K

$365 PKR 101.1K

441.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 ฿25.0K

$182 PKR 50.5K

307.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,940 ฿199.7K

$1,054 PKR 291.6K

463.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,098 ฿104.2K

$491 PKR 135.8K

531.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 ฿21.0K

$185 PKR 51.2K

238.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

13.21

-60.26%

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

Last update for Bangkok: October 5, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bangkok

$342 30.5%

Karachi

$76 15.7% 77.9% $267

Groceries & Markets

Bangkok

$277 24.7%

Karachi

$101 20.9% 63.6% $176

Clothing & Footwear

Bangkok

$143 12.7%

Karachi

$67 13.9% 53.1% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bangkok

$139 12.4%

Karachi

$131 27.3% 5.8% $8

Eating Out

Bangkok

$103 9.1%

Karachi

$61 12.7% 40.7% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Bangkok

$73 6.5%

Karachi

$30 6.3% 58.3% $42

Getting Around

Bangkok

$47 4.2%

Karachi

$15 3.2% 67.4% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $664 in Bangkok and $117 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 238% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Bangkok vs $13.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $101 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Bangkok

🇵🇰 Karachi

🕒 Local time

07:31 7:31 AM

05:31 5:31 AM

2 h behind Bangkok

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,666,264 Capital

14,910,352

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.71 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 310 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bangkok Karachi 3,710 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Bangkok
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

Bangkok vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Karachi differ by about 134% in total monthly costs ($1,144 vs $490 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 238% higher in Bangkok, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $664 in Bangkok versus $117 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Karachi – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $36.00 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,144 per month in Bangkok versus $490 in Karachi – a 134% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $490 in Karachi versus $1,144 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karachi but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Karachi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Bangkok and Karachi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 134% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.