Cost of Living Comparison Between Chittagong and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Chittagong and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $370 per month in Chittagong vs $457 in Karachi, rent included.

A couple spends around $628 per month in Chittagong vs $728 in Karachi, rent included.

A family of three spends $887 per month in Chittagong vs $999 in Karachi, rent included.

Chittagong is about 19% cheaper than Karachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chittagong and Karachi are more affordable than the global median – Chittagong 73% lower, Karachi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ৳254

$2.20 PKR 612

-5.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.43 ৳1,523

$14.33 PKR 3,976

-13.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ৳645

$5.27 PKR 1,463

-0.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 ৳333

$2.14 PKR 594

27.10%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ৳511

$7.36 PKR 2,041

-43.34%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ৳234

$2.20 PKR 610

-13.18%

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

$0.39 ৳48.00

$0.33 PKR 92.4

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ৳17.15

$0.23 PKR 63.4

-39.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 ৳97.1

$0.89 PKR 248

-11.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ৳68.2

$0.52 PKR 145

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 ৳81.2

$1.24 PKR 345

-46.77%

Eggs

$1.12 ৳137

$1.21 PKR 335

-7.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 ৳898

$6.19 PKR 1,716

18.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.04 ৳250

$3.03 PKR 841

-32.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 ৳917

$6.11 PKR 1,696

22.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ৳291

$1.22 PKR 340

95.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 ৳103

$0.55 PKR 153

52.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 ৳254

$0.98 PKR 272

111.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 ৳105

$0.59 PKR 164

44.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 ৳53.7

$0.34 PKR 95.2

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 ৳102

$0.31 PKR 85.3

167.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ৳60.5

$0.39 PKR 109

25.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ৳37.68

$0.43 PKR 121

-27.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.88 ৳1,088

$1.25 PKR 347

610.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ৳95.2

$1.32 PKR 365

-40.91%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ৳175

$2.48 PKR 687

-42.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 ৳370

$1.79 PKR 496

68.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ৳28.24

$0.28 PKR 77.6

-17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.03 ৳493

$8.20 PKR 2,275

-50.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ৳95.0

$0.74 PKR 205

5.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ৳67.5

$0.70 PKR 195

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 ৳489

$2.20 PKR 609

81.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ৳135

$1.33 PKR 369

-17.29%

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

$33.1K ৳4.1M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

83.46%

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

$45.0K ৳5.5M

$27.6K PKR 7.6M

63.36%

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

$30.46 ৳3,733

$104 PKR 28.8K

-70.65%

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

$5.37 ৳658

$5.88 PKR 1,631

-8.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.62 ৳1,546

$12.86 PKR 3,567

-1.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.92 ৳2,440

$20.32 PKR 5,637

-1.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.33 ৳1,756

$18.66 PKR 5,177

-23.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.70 ৳453

$4.40 PKR 1,222

-15.91%

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

$35.85 ৳4,393

$50.4 PKR 14.0K

-28.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,455 ৳178.2K

$1,375 PKR 381.5K

5.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.84 ৳2,798

$14.81 PKR 4,109

54.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.75 ৳2,420

$21.90 PKR 6,076

-9.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.5 ৳7,043

$65.2 PKR 18.1K

-11.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.77 ৳4,260

$35.81 PKR 9,933

-2.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 ৳15.3K

$111 PKR 30.8K

12.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$60.1 ৳7,368

$70.9 PKR 19.7K

-15.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 ৳31.6K

$297 PKR 82.3K

-13.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 ৳20.5K

$180 PKR 49.9K

-6.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$784 ৳96.0K

$976 PKR 270.9K

-19.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$461 ৳56.5K

$467 PKR 129.6K

-1.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$283 ৳34.6K

$182 PKR 50.4K

55.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

12.88

-10.71%

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

Last update for Chittagong: August 29, 2026

Last update for Karachi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $125 in Chittagong versus $111 in Karachi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 55% higher in Chittagong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Chittagong versus $14.00 in Karachi. Groceries tell a different story – $113 in Chittagong vs $101 in Karachi – so Karachi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chittagong vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $370 in Chittagong, $457 in Karachi – roughly 24% apart. Karachi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $555 per month in Chittagong and $685 in Karachi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chittagong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $370 in Chittagong and $457 in Karachi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 103% less in Chittagong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $370 in Chittagong and $457 in Karachi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chittagong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chittagong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Karachi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.