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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $358 per month in Chittagong vs $477 in Karachi, rent included.

A couple spends around $601 per month in Chittagong vs $727 in Karachi, rent included.

A family of three spends $844 per month in Chittagong vs $978 in Karachi, rent included.

Chittagong is about 25% 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

$1.65 ৳203

$2.14 PKR 595

-22.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.96 ৳1,835

$12.44 PKR 3,461

20.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 ৳883

$4.06 PKR 1,129

77.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 ৳722

$1.99 PKR 553

195.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ৳512

$5.22 PKR 1,451

-19.92%

Cappuccino

$1.63 ৳200

$1.89 PKR 525

-13.76%

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

$0.36 ৳44.03

$0.36 PKR 101

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ৳16.60

$0.23 PKR 64.2

-39.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 ৳95.7

$0.83 PKR 231

-6.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ৳70.4

$0.58 PKR 161

-1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 ৳79.2

$1.13 PKR 315

-42.48%

Eggs

$1.22 ৳149

$1.21 PKR 337

0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 ৳1,139

$6.29 PKR 1,749

47.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.60 ৳197

$3.19 PKR 887

-49.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.25 ৳889

$4.91 PKR 1,365

47.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ৳275

$1.03 PKR 287

117.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 ৳118

$0.58 PKR 162

65.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 ৳258

$0.93 PKR 258

125.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 ৳97.7

$0.56 PKR 156

42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 ৳54.9

$0.39 PKR 108

15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ৳109

$0.51 PKR 141

74.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 ৳49.79

$0.38 PKR 107

7.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 ৳30.41

$0.43 PKR 120

-41.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.59 ৳1,053

$1.28 PKR 356

571.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ৳102

$1.26 PKR 351

-34.13%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ৳179

$2.08 PKR 580

-29.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ৳354

$2.08 PKR 580

38.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ৳20.03

$0.34 PKR 94.4

-52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.12 ৳505

$6.33 PKR 1,762

-34.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ৳97.1

$0.74 PKR 205

6.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ৳52.1

$0.61 PKR 171

-29.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ৳306

$1.79 PKR 497

39.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 ৳123

$0.92 PKR 256

9.78%

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

$33.1K ৳4.1M

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

101.55%

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

$34.3K ৳4.2M

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

40.26%

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

$22.78 ৳2,794

$132 PKR 36.8K

-82.78%

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

$5.77 ৳708

$4.90 PKR 1,362

17.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.20 ৳1,619

$13.63 PKR 3,791

-3.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.43 ৳1,892

$15.55 PKR 4,325

-0.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.26 ৳1,381

$14.33 PKR 3,986

-21.42%

Cinema Ticket

$3.35 ৳410

$4.33 PKR 1,203

-22.63%

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

$29.33 ৳3,597

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

-49.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,343 ৳164.7K

$1,402 PKR 389.9K

-4.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.49 ৳2,513

$17.73 PKR 4,932

15.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.22 ৳2,235

$25.51 PKR 7,097

-28.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.0 ৳6,382

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

-18.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.34 ৳4,089

$35.86 PKR 9,975

-7.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 ৳16.0K

$122 PKR 33.8K

7.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.5 ৳7,294

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

-19.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 ৳29.8K

$323 PKR 89.8K

-24.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 ৳18.2K

$182 PKR 50.6K

-18.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 ৳98.8K

$985 PKR 273.9K

-18.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$462 ৳56.7K

$457 PKR 127.2K

0.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$264 ৳32.4K

$181 PKR 50.2K

46.14%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Karachi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $131 in Chittagong versus $122 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 46% 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 $12.00 in Karachi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $116 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: $358 in Chittagong, $477 in Karachi – roughly 33% apart. Karachi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $537 per month in Chittagong and $715 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 $358 in Chittagong and $477 in Karachi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% 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 $358 in Chittagong and $477 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.