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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $354 per month in Chittagong vs $484 in Karachi, rent included.

A couple spends around $611 per month in Chittagong vs $735 in Karachi, rent included.

A family of three spends $868 per month in Chittagong vs $987 in Karachi, rent included.

Chittagong is about 27% cheaper than Karachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chittagong and Karachi are more affordable than the global median – Chittagong 73% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.62 ৳200

$2.06 PKR 572

-21.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.86 ৳1,831

$12.56 PKR 3,487

18.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 ৳891

$3.99 PKR 1,108

81.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 ৳720

$1.93 PKR 537

202.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ৳514

$5.27 PKR 1,463

-20.87%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ৳208

$1.81 PKR 503

-7.18%

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

$0.39 ৳47.48

$0.33 PKR 92.7

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ৳20.71

$0.21 PKR 58.0

-19.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ৳91.9

$0.79 PKR 220

-5.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ৳70.6

$0.58 PKR 161

-1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ৳79.2

$1.18 PKR 328

-45.76%

Eggs

$1.18 ৳145

$1.15 PKR 321

2.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 ৳1,114

$6.41 PKR 1,781

41.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.68 ৳207

$3.12 PKR 867

-46.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 ৳917

$5.09 PKR 1,413

46.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 ৳269

$1.03 PKR 286

111.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 ৳117

$0.60 PKR 166

58.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 ৳254

$0.92 PKR 257

123.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 ৳106

$0.57 PKR 159

50.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 ৳54.1

$0.35 PKR 98.2

25.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 ৳104

$0.50 PKR 140

70.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 ৳46.00

$0.36 PKR 99.8

2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 ৳33.53

$0.41 PKR 113

-34.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.45 ৳1,042

$1.25 PKR 346

576.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ৳104

$1.32 PKR 367

-36.36%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ৳187

$2.06 PKR 573

-26.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 ৳357

$2.16 PKR 599

34.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 ৳17.08

$0.33 PKR 92.7

-57.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.08 ৳503

$6.43 PKR 1,785

-36.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ৳105

$0.74 PKR 206

16.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ৳52.4

$0.61 PKR 170

-29.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ৳308

$1.74 PKR 484

43.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 ৳123

$0.94 PKR 261

6.38%

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

$33.2K ৳4.1M

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

98.18%

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

$34.2K ৳4.2M

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

35.16%

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

$23.04 ৳2,840

$134 PKR 37.3K

-82.85%

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

$5.60 ৳691

$5.00 PKR 1,388

12.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.98 ৳1,600

$13.28 PKR 3,689

-2.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.36 ৳1,893

$15.87 PKR 4,406

-3.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.32 ৳1,395

$14.35 PKR 3,984

-21.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.27 ৳402

$4.34 PKR 1,206

-24.65%

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

$29.29 ৳3,611

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

-50.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,342 ৳165.4K

$1,356 PKR 376.6K

-1.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.70 ৳2,551

$17.71 PKR 4,919

16.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.72 ৳2,308

$25.79 PKR 7,163

-27.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.1 ৳6,293

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

-20.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.32 ৳4,106

$35.84 PKR 9,953

-7.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$129 ৳15.9K

$118 PKR 32.8K

8.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.5 ৳7,339

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

-20.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 ৳30.9K

$319 PKR 88.6K

-21.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 ৳18.4K

$181 PKR 50.3K

-17.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$794 ৳97.8K

$932 PKR 258.7K

-14.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$473 ৳58.3K

$433 PKR 120.3K

9.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$282 ৳34.8K

$177 PKR 49.1K

59.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.67

17.8

-34.44%

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

Last update for Chittagong: July 12, 2026

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $129 in Chittagong versus $118 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 59% 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 $15.00 in Chittagong versus $13.00 in Karachi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $97.0 – making Karachi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $354 in Chittagong, $484 in Karachi – roughly 37% apart. Karachi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $531 per month in Chittagong and $726 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 $354 in Chittagong and $484 in Karachi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 58% 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 $354 in Chittagong and $484 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.