Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Changchun and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $912 in Changchun, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Changchun
Learn more

Changchun Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
Learn more

Karachi Living Index

Jump to prices

Changchun

🇨🇳 China

$912

/mo nomad

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$482

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $912 in Changchun versus $482 in Karachi.

Changchun $912
Karachi $482

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,335 in Changchun versus $750 in Karachi.

Changchun $1,335
Karachi $750

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,757 in Changchun versus $1,018 in Karachi.

Changchun $1,757
Karachi $1,018

Living in Changchun is roughly 89% more expensive than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Changchun 32% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.95 ¥19.69

$2.13 PKR 588

38.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.24 ¥149

$13.30 PKR 3,678

67.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥34.66

$5.45 PKR 1,507

-4.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 607

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 PKR 2,004

Cappuccino

$2.49 ¥16.64

$2.09 PKR 579

19.14%

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

$0.48 ¥3.20

$0.40 PKR 111

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.93

$0.26 PKR 71.1

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.81

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥12.18

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.69

$0.92 PKR 254

106.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ¥8.15

$0.56 PKR 156

117.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.71

$1.25 PKR 345

16.00%

Eggs

$1.84 ¥12.31

$1.23 PKR 341

49.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$34.91 ¥233

$5.67 PKR 1,569

515.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 ¥39.30

$3.16 PKR 875

86.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 ¥70.5

$6.28 PKR 1,736

67.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ¥11.43

$1.26 PKR 348

35.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.78

$0.53 PKR 147

175.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥11.87

$1.00 PKR 276

78.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.67

$0.56 PKR 154

239.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.86

$0.33 PKR 91.3

166.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 95.1

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.10

$0.42 PKR 116

45.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ¥9.88

$0.44 PKR 121

236.36%

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)

$3.65 ¥24.41

$1.84 PKR 509

98.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.59 ¥138

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 ¥7.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.91

$0.28 PKR 77.0

57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,763

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ¥8.25

$0.92 PKR 256

33.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ¥2.10

$0.70 PKR 193

-55.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 ¥19.55

$2.16 PKR 596

35.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥8.29

$1.38 PKR 382

-10.14%

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

$19.6K ¥130.8K

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

9.39%

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

$18.0K ¥120.0K

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

-33.70%

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

$75.1 ¥502

$113 PKR 31.4K

-33.79%

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

$4.52 ¥30.21

$5.95 PKR 1,647

-24.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.87 ¥99.4

$13.16 PKR 3,640

12.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.44 ¥257

$21.55 PKR 5,962

78.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.21 ¥28.15

$18.23 PKR 5,041

-76.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥45.87

$4.21 PKR 1,164

62.95%

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

$546 ¥3,646

$52.2 PKR 14.4K

946.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K ¥143.0K

$1,940 PKR 536.7K

1003.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 ¥496

$17.55 PKR 4,855

322.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.27 ¥302

$23.51 PKR 6,502

92.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 ¥407

$68.9 PKR 19.1K

-11.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ¥475

$40.59 PKR 11.2K

74.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 ¥1,458

$118 PKR 32.6K

84.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 ¥1,677

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

241.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 ¥3,844

$357 PKR 98.9K

60.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ¥2,071

$188 PKR 52.0K

64.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,661 ¥11.1K

$1,060 PKR 293.2K

56.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 ¥6,783

$481 PKR 133.0K

111.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$965 ¥6,445

$183 PKR 50.6K

427.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

13.21

-66.92%

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

Last update for Changchun: October 10, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Changchun

$315 * 34.6%

Karachi

$101 21% 67.9% $214

Accommodation & Living

Changchun

$251 27.5%

Karachi

$74 15.3% 70.7% $177

Clothing & Footwear

Changchun

$113 12.4%

Karachi

$68 14.1% 40.1% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Changchun

$95 10.4%

Karachi

$133 27.5% 40.3% $38

Eating Out

Changchun

$82 9%

Karachi

$61 12.7% 25.1% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Changchun

$52 5.7%

Karachi

$30 6.2% 42.6% $22

Getting Around

Changchun

$4.6 * 0.5%

Karachi

$16 3.2% 241% $11

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $218 in Changchun and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changchun pays 427% 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: $22.00 in Changchun vs $13.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $101 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Changchun

🇵🇰 Karachi

🕒 Local time

19:08 7:08 PM

16:08 4:08 PM

3 h behind Changchun

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,066,906

14,910,352

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 310 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Changchun Karachi 5,620 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Changchun
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

Changchun vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 427% higher in Changchun, 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: $218 in Changchun versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $546 in Changchun versus $52.2 in Karachi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Karachi – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $22.00 in Changchun. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Changchun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.