Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Binjai and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $495 a month against $638 in Binjai, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Binjai, Indonesia
Karachi, Pakistan
Binjai
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$638
/mo nomad
Karachi
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$495
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $638 in Binjai versus $495 in Karachi.

  • Binjai $638
  • Karachi $495

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,029 in Binjai versus $770 in Karachi.

  • Binjai $1,029
  • Karachi $770

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,421 in Binjai versus $1,046 in Karachi.

  • Binjai $1,421
  • Karachi $1,046

Living in Binjai is roughly 29% more expensive than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Binjai 53% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Binjai
Karachi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.80 Rp 32.7K
$2.21 PKR 610
-18.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.06 Rp 273.7K
$12.87 PKR 3,562
17.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.81 Rp 51.1K
$5.27 PKR 1,459
-46.68%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.16 PKR 598
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.36 PKR 2,036
-
Cappuccino
$1.33 Rp 24.2K
$2.16 PKR 598
-38.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 Rp 8,725
$0.38 PKR 106
26.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.20 Rp 3,646
$0.25 PKR 69.3
-20.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.49 Rp 45.2K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 Rp 56.7K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Binjai
Karachi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.04 Rp 18.9K
$0.90 PKR 248
15.56%
White Bread (500g)
$0.94 Rp 17.0K
$0.52 PKR 143
80.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.80 Rp 14.6K
$1.20 PKR 331
-33.33%
Eggs
$1.25 Rp 22.7K
$1.25 PKR 346
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.22 Rp 113.1K
$5.82 PKR 1,611
6.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.15 Rp 57.2K
$3.11 PKR 860
1.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.48 Rp 136.0K
$6.53 PKR 1,807
14.55%
Apples (1kg)
$2.43 Rp 44.2K
$1.28 PKR 354
89.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 Rp 23.7K
$0.54 PKR 149
140.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 Rp 32.2K
$1.02 PKR 283
73.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.25 Rp 22.7K
$0.56 PKR 155
123.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.40 Rp 25.5K
$0.34 PKR 94.9
311.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.96 Rp 35.6K
$0.31 PKR 87.0
532.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.81 Rp 14.7K
$0.41 PKR 113
97.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39 Rp 6,999
$0.43 PKR 120
-9.30%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.28 PKR 355
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.33 PKR 368
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.45 PKR 678
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.43 Rp 44.2K
$1.78 PKR 492
36.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.59 Rp 392.4K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.01 Rp 36.6K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 Rp 58.1K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Binjai
Karachi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 Rp 3,857
$0.28 PKR 77.2
-25.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.00 Rp 181.7K
$11.70 PKR 3,237
-14.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,527
$0.92 PKR 254
-48.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.36 Rp 6,525
$0.73 PKR 203
-50.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.18 Rp 57.7K
$2.22 PKR 615
43.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 Rp 17.0K
$1.33 PKR 369
-29.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.3K Rp 369.8M
$18.3K PKR 5.1M
11.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K Rp 547.2M
$26.4K PKR 7.3M
14.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Binjai
Karachi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$68.7 Rp 1.2M
$112 PKR 31.0K
-38.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.91 Rp 71.0K
$5.99 PKR 1,656
-34.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.11 Rp 329.1K
$13.18 PKR 3,648
37.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Binjai
Karachi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.19 Rp 367.0K
$24.67 PKR 6,826
-18.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.73 Rp 158.7K
$18.29 PKR 5,061
-52.27%
Cinema Ticket
$2.88 Rp 52.4K
$4.34 PKR 1,201
-33.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Binjai
Karachi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$105 Rp 1.9M
$67.2 PKR 18.6K
55.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,060 Rp 146.5M
$1,915 PKR 529.9K
320.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Binjai
Karachi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.93 Rp 780.3K
$17.61 PKR 4,873
143.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.03 Rp 491.3K
$22.03 PKR 6,097
22.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.1 Rp 1.5M
$68.3 PKR 18.9K
23.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$62.7 Rp 1.1M
$40.66 PKR 11.3K
54.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Binjai
Karachi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$204 Rp 3.7M
$136 PKR 37.6K
49.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$156 Rp 2.8M
$82.2 PKR 22.7K
90.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$495 Rp 9.0M
$392 PKR 108.5K
26.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$411 Rp 7.5M
$207 PKR 57.2K
98.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,207 Rp 21.9M
$1,046 PKR 289.5K
15.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$752 Rp 13.7M
$482 PKR 133.2K
56.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Binjai
Karachi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$184 PKR 51.0K
-
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 Binjai: October 24, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Binjai
$194
Karachi
$102 47.6% $92
Accommodation & Living
Binjai
$156
Karachi
$82 47.4% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Binjai
$98
Karachi
$67 31.4% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Binjai
$91
Karachi
$131 44.8% $41
Eating Out
Binjai
$60
Karachi
$62 2.9% $1.7
Sport & Entertainment
Binjai
$26
Karachi
$33 28.5% $7.4
Getting Around
Binjai
$13
Karachi
$17 32.7% $4.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $204 in Binjai and $136 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $15 in Binjai vs $13 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $102 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Binjai
🇵🇰 Karachi
🕒 Local time
04:46 4:46 AM
02:46 2:46 AM
2 h behind Binjai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
267,901
14,910,352
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,175 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20,233 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 308 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.25 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Binjai Karachi 4,110 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Binjai
  • 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
Binjai vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Karachi cheaper than Binjai?
Karachi is about 22% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $956 in Binjai and $742 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.
What is the rent difference between Binjai and Karachi?
Rent for a central apartment: $204 in Binjai versus $136 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Binjai and in Karachi?
All in, you’ll spend $638 per month in Binjai versus $495 in Karachi – Karachi is about 22% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 15% less than in Karachi. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Is $1,200 enough for either Binjai or Karachi?
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.
Is it better to live in Binjai or in Karachi?
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.

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