Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Banjarmasin and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $584 in Banjarmasin, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Banjarmasin
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$584
/mo nomad
Karachi
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$482
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $584 per month in Banjarmasin vs $482 in Karachi, rent included.

  • Banjarmasin $584
  • Karachi $482

A couple spends around $921 per month in Banjarmasin vs $750 in Karachi, rent included.

  • Banjarmasin $921
  • Karachi $750

A family of three spends $1,258 per month in Banjarmasin vs $1,018 in Karachi, rent included.

  • Banjarmasin $1,258
  • Karachi $1,018

Banjarmasin costs about 21% more than Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Banjarmasin and Karachi are more affordable than the global median – Banjarmasin 57% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Banjarmasin
Karachi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.14 Rp 20.6K
$2.13 PKR 588
-46.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.15 Rp 254.8K
$13.30 PKR 3,680
6.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.28 Rp 59.1K
$5.45 PKR 1,508
-39.82%
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
$1.23 Rp 22.2K
$2.09 PKR 579
-41.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 Rp 14.1K
$0.40 PKR 111
95.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 Rp 6,222
$0.26 PKR 71.1
34.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.89 Rp 88.0K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 Rp 63.2K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Banjarmasin
Karachi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 Rp 23.7K
$0.92 PKR 254
43.48%
White Bread (500g)
$0.97 Rp 17.4K
$0.56 PKR 156
73.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.85 Rp 15.2K
$1.25 PKR 345
-32.00%
Eggs
$1.54 Rp 27.7K
$1.23 PKR 341
25.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.69 Rp 120.3K
$5.67 PKR 1,570
17.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.12 Rp 38.1K
$3.16 PKR 876
-32.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.25 Rp 58.5K
$6.28 PKR 1,737
-48.25%
Apples (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.4K
$1.26 PKR 348
51.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.12 Rp 20.1K
$0.53 PKR 148
111.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.89 Rp 16.0K
$1.00 PKR 276
-11.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.29 Rp 23.2K
$0.56 PKR 154
130.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.30 Rp 23.4K
$0.33 PKR 91.4
293.94%
Onion (1kg)
$0.90 Rp 16.2K
$0.34 PKR 95.1
164.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.73 Rp 13.1K
$0.42 PKR 116
73.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40 Rp 7,234
$0.44 PKR 121
-9.09%
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)
$1.93 Rp 34.8K
$1.84 PKR 509
4.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.41 Rp 385.3K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 Rp 33.4K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 Rp 56.1K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Banjarmasin
Karachi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,217
$0.28 PKR 77.0
3.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.77 Rp 301.8K
$9.99 PKR 2,764
67.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.52 Rp 9,283
$0.92 PKR 256
-43.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.37 Rp 6,657
$0.70 PKR 193
-47.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.63 Rp 47.3K
$2.16 PKR 597
21.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$1.38 PKR 382
-42.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K Rp 438.7M
$17.9K PKR 5.0M
36.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K Rp 479.8M
$27.1K PKR 7.5M
-1.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Banjarmasin
Karachi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$41.10 Rp 739.8K
$113 PKR 31.4K
-63.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.75 Rp 49.5K
$5.95 PKR 1,648
-53.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.31 Rp 311.5K
$13.16 PKR 3,642
31.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Banjarmasin
Karachi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.71 Rp 354.7K
$21.55 PKR 5,965
-8.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.89 Rp 142.0K
$18.23 PKR 5,044
-56.72%
Cinema Ticket
$5.62 Rp 101.1K
$4.21 PKR 1,165
33.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Banjarmasin
Karachi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$95.9 Rp 1.7M
$52.2 PKR 14.4K
83.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,380 Rp 150.8M
$1,940 PKR 537.0K
331.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Banjarmasin
Karachi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.79 Rp 770.1K
$17.55 PKR 4,858
143.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 Rp 454.4K
$23.51 PKR 6,506
7.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$53.7 Rp 965.7K
$68.9 PKR 19.1K
-22.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.67 Rp 588.1K
$40.59 PKR 11.2K
-19.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Banjarmasin
Karachi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$216 Rp 3.9M
$118 PKR 32.7K
83.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$162 Rp 2.9M
$73.6 PKR 20.4K
120.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$557 Rp 10.0M
$357 PKR 98.9K
55.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$370 Rp 6.7M
$188 PKR 52.0K
97.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,052 Rp 18.9M
$1,060 PKR 293.4K
-0.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$822 Rp 14.8M
$481 PKR 133.1K
71.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Banjarmasin
Karachi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$204 Rp 3.7M
$183 PKR 50.6K
11.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.46
13.21
-28.39%

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

Last update for Banjarmasin: 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
Banjarmasin
$171
Karachi
$101 40.7% $70
Accommodation & Living
Banjarmasin
$162
Karachi
$74 54.6% $88
Eating Out
Banjarmasin
$70
Karachi
$61 12.4% $8.6
Clothing & Footwear
Banjarmasin
$69
Karachi
$68 2.5% $1.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Banjarmasin
$61
Karachi
$133 117% $71
Sport & Entertainment
Banjarmasin
$31
Karachi
$30 3.1% $1
Getting Around
Banjarmasin
$20
Karachi
$16 23.5% $4.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $216 in Banjarmasin versus $118 in Karachi. 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 12% higher in Banjarmasin, 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 $14.00 in Banjarmasin versus $13.00 in Karachi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $101 – making Karachi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Banjarmasin
🇵🇰 Karachi
🕒 Local time
12:57 12:57 PM
09:57 9:57 AM
3 h behind Banjarmasin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
715,703
14,910,352
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Banjarmasin Karachi 6,010 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Banjarmasin
  • 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
Banjarmasin vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Karachi cheaper than Banjarmasin?
Yes – Banjarmasin is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $877 per month in Banjarmasin and $723 in Karachi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Karachi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Banjarmasin or in Karachi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Banjarmasin and $13.00 in Karachi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Banjarmasin and in Karachi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $584 in Banjarmasin and $482 in Karachi. That's a gap of about 21%.
Is $1,200 enough for either Banjarmasin or Karachi?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $584 in Banjarmasin and $482 in Karachi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Banjarmasin or Karachi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Karachi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Karachi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Banjarmasin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Banjarmasin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?