Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calamba and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $518 in Calamba, rent and utilities included – about $430 less a year. The total is higher in Calamba despite lower rent and utilities.

25

Cost of Living Index in Calamba
Learn more

Calamba Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
Learn more

Karachi Living Index

Jump to prices

Calamba

🇵🇭 Philippines

$518

/mo nomad

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$482

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $518 in Calamba versus $482 in Karachi.

Calamba $518
Karachi $482

Estimated couple costs with rent: $764 in Calamba versus $750 in Karachi.

Calamba $764
Karachi $750

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,010 in Calamba versus $1,018 in Karachi.

Calamba $1,010
Karachi $1,018

Living in Calamba is roughly 8% more expensive than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calamba 62% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 ₱247

$2.13 PKR 588

84.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.02 ₱757

$13.30 PKR 3,680

-9.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.82 ₱178

$5.45 PKR 1,508

-48.26%

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

$1.79 ₱113

$2.09 PKR 579

-14.35%

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

$0.56 ₱35.44

$0.40 PKR 111

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱21.06

$0.26 PKR 71.1

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ₱59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₱97.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ₱101

$0.92 PKR 254

73.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₱70.1

$0.56 PKR 156

98.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.0

$1.25 PKR 345

-22.40%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱126

$1.23 PKR 341

62.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.20 ₱327

$5.67 PKR 1,570

-8.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ₱214

$3.16 PKR 876

7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 ₱491

$6.28 PKR 1,737

24.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$1.26 PKR 348

83.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.9

$0.53 PKR 148

190.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ₱151

$1.00 PKR 276

140.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 ₱66.9

$0.56 PKR 154

89.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱109

$0.33 PKR 91.4

424.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 ₱112

$0.34 PKR 95.1

423.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₱38.68

$0.42 PKR 116

45.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.10

$0.44 PKR 121

11.36%

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)

$2.92 ₱184

$1.84 PKR 509

58.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 ₱558

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱60.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱132

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 77.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,764

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.9

$0.92 PKR 256

-10.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.75

$0.70 PKR 193

-64.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱119

$2.16 PKR 597

-12.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 ₱58.7

$1.38 PKR 382

-32.61%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

18.07%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

-29.80%

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

$139 ₱8,759

$113 PKR 31.4K

22.63%

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

$17.36 ₱1,093

$5.95 PKR 1,648

191.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 ₱1,502

$13.16 PKR 3,642

81.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.55 PKR 5,965

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.23 PKR 5,044

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 ₱317

$4.21 PKR 1,165

19.71%

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

$130 ₱8,193

$52.2 PKR 14.4K

149.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₱668.9K

$1,940 PKR 537.0K

447.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.54 ₱1,797

$17.55 PKR 4,858

62.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.73 ₱1,242

$23.51 PKR 6,506

-16.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 ₱4,468

$68.9 PKR 19.1K

3.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 ₱3,482

$40.59 PKR 11.2K

36.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 PKR 98.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,060 PKR 293.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$481 PKR 133.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 ₱16.4K

$183 PKR 50.6K

42.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

13.21

-48.90%

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

Last update for Calamba: October 12, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calamba

$180 34.8%

Karachi

$133 27.5% 26.5% $48

Groceries & Markets

Calamba

$175 33.7%

Karachi

$101 21% 42% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Calamba

$79 15.2%

Karachi

$68 14.1% 13.8% $11

Eating Out

Calamba

$73 14%

Karachi

$61 12.7% 16% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Calamba

$10 * 1.9%

Karachi

$30 6.2% 197% $20

Getting Around

Calamba

$2.1 * 0.4%

Karachi

$16 3.2% 646% $13

Accommodation & Living

Calamba

- * 0%

Karachi

$74 15.3%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Calamba pays 42% 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: $12.00 in Calamba vs $13.00 in Karachi. Groceries flip the comparison at $175 vs $101, with Karachi cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Calamba

🇵🇰 Karachi

🕒 Local time

02:05 2:05 AM

23:05 11:05 PM

3 h behind Calamba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

539,671

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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Calamba Karachi 5,760 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Calamba
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

Calamba vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Calamba. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Karachi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Calamba, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Calamba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $518 per month in Calamba versus $482 in Karachi – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

Safety-wise, Calamba 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 8% less than in Calamba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.