Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $490 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$490

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $490 in Karachi.

Cebu $934
Karachi $490

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $755 in Karachi.

Cebu $1,415
Karachi $755

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $1,019 in Karachi.

Cebu $1,896
Karachi $1,019

Living in Cebu is roughly 91% more expensive than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Karachi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱191

$2.15 PKR 596

40.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,476

$13.37 PKR 3,700

75.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱257

$5.29 PKR 1,464

-22.68%

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

$2.52 ₱158

$2.11 PKR 583

19.43%

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

$1.54 ₱97.2

$0.37 PKR 103

316.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.06

$0.28 PKR 78.2

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱113

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$0.86 PKR 238

126.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.9

$0.52 PKR 144

175.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.0

$1.24 PKR 344

-17.74%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$1.24 PKR 342

66.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱617

$5.86 PKR 1,622

67.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱290

$3.12 PKR 862

47.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱484

$6.25 PKR 1,730

23.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱208

$1.29 PKR 356

156.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱91.2

$0.54 PKR 150

168.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$0.99 PKR 273

138.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.6

$0.56 PKR 155

175.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$0.33 PKR 91.6

615.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$0.35 PKR 95.8

468.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.3

$0.45 PKR 124

155.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.26

$0.44 PKR 121

52.27%

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)

$3.00 ₱189

$1.79 PKR 497

67.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱399

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱109

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.82

$0.28 PKR 76.5

-10.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱796

$9.68 PKR 2,679

30.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.44

$0.92 PKR 255

-19.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.71 PKR 196

-70.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱272

$2.22 PKR 615

95.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.7

$1.35 PKR 372

-1.48%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

22.00%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

-27.46%

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

$121 ₱7,583

$112 PKR 30.9K

7.85%

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

$14.45 ₱909

$6.05 PKR 1,673

138.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,779

$13.29 PKR 3,679

112.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,055

$21.51 PKR 5,954

51.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱402

$17.80 PKR 4,927

-64.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱343

$4.42 PKR 1,222

23.53%

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

$273 ₱17.2K

$50.7 PKR 14.0K

438.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱512.9K

$1,957 PKR 541.6K

316.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,117

$17.57 PKR 4,862

182.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,564

$22.78 PKR 6,304

9.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,817

$67.6 PKR 18.7K

13.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,727

$40.97 PKR 11.3K

44.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.8K

$117 PKR 32.4K

331.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.5K

$75.7 PKR 21.0K

308.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.1K

$365 PKR 101.1K

187.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.9K

$182 PKR 50.5K

239.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱183.4K

$1,054 PKR 291.6K

176.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.4K

$491 PKR 135.8K

280.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.5K

$185 PKR 51.2K

84.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

13.21

-45.50%

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

Last update for Cebu: 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

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Karachi

$76 15.7% 75.5% $234

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Karachi

$101 20.9% 52.1% $110

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Karachi

$131 27.3% 19.7% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Karachi

$67 13.9% 29.2% $28

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Karachi

$61 12.7% 31% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Karachi

$30 6.3% 30.4% $13

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Karachi

$15 3.2% 1.3% $0.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $117 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 84% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $13.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $101 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇵🇰 Karachi

🕒 Local time

12:54 12:54 PM

09:54 9:54 AM

3 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

14,910,352

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 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 PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Karachi 6,200 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
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

Cebu vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 84% higher in Cebu, 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: $506 in Cebu versus $117 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $490 in Karachi – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 31% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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.

For families, Karachi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu 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 91% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.