Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cha-am and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $880 in Cha-am, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in Cha-am
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Cha-am Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index

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Cha-am

🇹🇭 Thailand

$880

/mo nomad

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$482

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $880 in Cha-am versus $482 in Karachi.

Cha-am $880
Karachi $482

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,412 in Cha-am versus $750 in Karachi.

Cha-am $1,412
Karachi $750

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Cha-am versus $1,018 in Karachi.

Cha-am $1,944
Karachi $1,018

Living in Cha-am is roughly 83% more expensive than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cha-am 35% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.29 ฿110

$2.13 PKR 588

54.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.60 ฿755

$13.30 PKR 3,680

69.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 ฿243

$5.45 PKR 1,508

33.39%

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

$2.04 ฿68.1

$2.09 PKR 579

-2.39%

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

$0.68 ฿22.66

$0.40 PKR 111

70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.50

$0.26 PKR 71.1

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ฿100

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ฿59.5

$0.92 PKR 254

93.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ฿49.76

$0.56 PKR 156

166.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.43

$1.25 PKR 345

6.40%

Eggs

$1.95 ฿65.0

$1.23 PKR 341

58.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.47 ฿417

$5.67 PKR 1,570

119.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.54 ฿85.0

$3.16 PKR 876

-19.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.20 ฿341

$6.28 PKR 1,737

62.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ฿118

$1.26 PKR 348

180.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.86

$0.53 PKR 148

130.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ฿62.5

$1.00 PKR 276

87.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ฿58.3

$0.56 PKR 154

212.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 ฿59.0

$0.33 PKR 91.4

433.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.34 PKR 95.1

220.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ฿38.80

$0.42 PKR 116

176.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ฿15.07

$0.44 PKR 121

2.27%

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)

$4.31 ฿144

$1.84 PKR 509

134.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ฿57.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ฿99.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 ฿30.63

$0.28 PKR 77.0

228.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.26 ฿744

$9.99 PKR 2,764

122.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ฿45.80

$0.92 PKR 256

48.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.67

$0.70 PKR 193

52.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ฿121

$2.16 PKR 597

67.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ฿46.86

$1.38 PKR 382

1.45%

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

$16.4K ฿546.9K

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

-8.57%

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

$27.1K ฿905.9K

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

0.09%

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

$82.1 ฿2,744

$113 PKR 31.4K

-27.64%

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

$11.41 ฿381

$5.95 PKR 1,648

91.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.66 ฿791

$13.16 PKR 3,642

79.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.81 ฿796

$21.55 PKR 5,965

10.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.81 ฿194

$18.23 PKR 5,044

-68.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 ฿222

$4.21 PKR 1,165

57.96%

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

$609 ฿20.4K

$52.2 PKR 14.4K

1068.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K ฿368.4K

$1,940 PKR 537.0K

468.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 ฿1,675

$17.55 PKR 4,858

185.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.35 ฿981

$23.51 PKR 6,506

24.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 ฿2,357

$68.9 PKR 19.1K

2.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 ฿1,758

$40.59 PKR 11.2K

29.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 ฿12.5K

$118 PKR 32.7K

216.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 ฿9,109

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

270.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 ฿25.1K

$357 PKR 98.9K

109.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 ฿21.5K

$188 PKR 52.0K

242.21%

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)

$351 ฿11.7K

$183 PKR 50.6K

92.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.96

13.21

-54.88%

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

Last update for Cha-am: October 12, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cha-am

$273 31%

Karachi

$74 15.3% 73% $199

Groceries & Markets

Cha-am

$235 26.7%

Karachi

$101 21% 57% $134

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cha-am

$117 13.3%

Karachi

$133 27.5% 13.1% $15

Eating Out

Cha-am

$94 10.7%

Karachi

$61 12.7% 35.3% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Cha-am

$91 10.4%

Karachi

$68 14.1% 25.7% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Cha-am

$37 4.2%

Karachi

$30 6.2% 19.3% $7.1

Getting Around

Cha-am

$33 3.7%

Karachi

$16 3.2% 52.5% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $373 in Cha-am and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cha-am pays 92% 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 Cha-am vs $13.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $101 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Cha-am

🇵🇰 Karachi

🕒 Local time

01:00 1:00 AM

23:00 11:00 PM

2 h behind Cha-am

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

31,354

14,910,352

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 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 THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cha-am Karachi 3,710 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Cha-am
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

Cha-am vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cha-am and Karachi differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $482 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 92% higher in Cha-am, 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: $373 in Cha-am versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $880 per month in Cha-am versus $482 in Karachi – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 123% less than in Cha-am. 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.

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, Cha-am 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 83% less than in Cha-am. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.