Cost of Living Comparison Between Faisalabad and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Faisalabad and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $393 per month in Faisalabad vs $457 in Karachi, rent included.

A couple spends around $614 per month in Faisalabad vs $728 in Karachi, rent included.

A family of three spends $835 per month in Faisalabad vs $999 in Karachi, rent included.

Faisalabad is about 14% cheaper than Karachi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Faisalabad and Karachi are more affordable than the global median – Faisalabad 71% lower, Karachi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 PKR 506

$2.20 PKR 612

-17.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.74 PKR 2,979

$14.33 PKR 3,976

-25.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 PKR 1,543

$5.27 PKR 1,463

5.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 PKR 688

$2.14 PKR 594

15.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 PKR 586

$7.36 PKR 2,041

-71.33%

Cappuccino

$1.44 PKR 401

$2.20 PKR 610

-34.55%

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

$0.46 PKR 128

$0.33 PKR 92.4

39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 PKR 89.0

$0.23 PKR 63.4

39.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 PKR 234

$0.89 PKR 248

-5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 172

$0.52 PKR 145

19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 354

$1.24 PKR 345

2.42%

Eggs

$1.18 PKR 329

$1.21 PKR 335

-2.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 PKR 2,434

$6.19 PKR 1,716

41.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 PKR 708

$3.03 PKR 841

-15.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.02 PKR 1,116

$6.11 PKR 1,696

-34.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 PKR 303

$1.22 PKR 340

-10.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.55 PKR 153

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.98 PKR 272

-43.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 130

$0.59 PKR 164

-20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 87.3

$0.34 PKR 95.2

-8.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.31 PKR 85.3

58.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 PKR 138

$0.39 PKR 109

28.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 PKR 117

$0.43 PKR 121

-2.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.52 PKR 145

$1.25 PKR 347

-58.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 PKR 144

$1.32 PKR 365

-60.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 PKR 209

$2.48 PKR 687

-69.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 PKR 665

$1.79 PKR 496

34.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 77.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.11 PKR 1,973

$8.20 PKR 2,275

-13.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 PKR 293

$0.74 PKR 205

43.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 PKR 293

$0.70 PKR 195

51.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 PKR 793

$2.20 PKR 609

30.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 PKR 305

$1.33 PKR 369

-17.29%

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

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

29.95%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$27.6K PKR 7.6M

-17.30%

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

$68.4 PKR 19.0K

$104 PKR 28.8K

-34.08%

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

$7.91 PKR 2,195

$5.88 PKR 1,631

34.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.74 PKR 3,258

$12.86 PKR 3,567

-8.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.72 PKR 4,083

$20.32 PKR 5,637

-27.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.27 PKR 5,070

$18.66 PKR 5,177

-2.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 PKR 1,969

$4.40 PKR 1,222

61.36%

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

$26.47 PKR 7,344

$50.4 PKR 14.0K

-47.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,005 PKR 556.3K

$1,375 PKR 381.5K

45.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.03 PKR 5,279

$14.81 PKR 4,109

28.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 PKR 7,252

$21.90 PKR 6,076

19.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.1 PKR 14.7K

$65.2 PKR 18.1K

-18.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.22 PKR 8,107

$35.81 PKR 9,933

-18.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$107 PKR 29.8K

$111 PKR 30.8K

-3.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.1 PKR 16.1K

$70.9 PKR 19.7K

-17.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 PKR 60.3K

$297 PKR 82.3K

-26.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 PKR 34.1K

$180 PKR 49.9K

-31.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$551 PKR 153.0K

$976 PKR 270.9K

-43.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$249 PKR 69.2K

$467 PKR 129.6K

-46.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 PKR 46.9K

$182 PKR 50.4K

-7.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.83

12.88

-8.15%

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

Last update for Faisalabad: August 31, 2026

Last update for Karachi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $107 in Faisalabad 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 8% higher in Karachi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Faisalabad versus $14.00 in Karachi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $99.0 vs $101 – making Faisalabad 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

Faisalabad vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi costs about 16% more than Faisalabad, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $590 per month in Faisalabad 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 Faisalabad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Karachi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Faisalabad and $14.00 in Karachi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $393 in Faisalabad and $457 in Karachi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Faisalabad – 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 Faisalabad. 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.