Cost of Living Comparison Between Gujranwala and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Gujranwala and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $367 per month in Gujranwala vs $483 in Karachi, rent included.

A couple spends around $553 per month in Gujranwala vs $723 in Karachi, rent included.

A family of three spends $739 per month in Gujranwala vs $963 in Karachi, rent included.

Gujranwala is about 24% cheaper than Karachi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.52 PKR 143

$2.15 PKR 598

-75.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.20 PKR 3,948

$12.44 PKR 3,457

14.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 PKR 1,479

$4.20 PKR 1,167

26.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 PKR 238

$2.00 PKR 556

-57.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PKR 1,056

$5.44 PKR 1,512

-30.15%

Cappuccino

$1.30 PKR 361

$1.83 PKR 508

-28.96%

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

$0.20 PKR 55.6

$0.34 PKR 93.4

-41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 PKR 49.97

$0.23 PKR 64.2

-21.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 214

$0.81 PKR 224

-4.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.55 PKR 152

10.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 PKR 317

Eggs

$1.10 PKR 305

$1.16 PKR 322

-5.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,699

$6.64 PKR 1,847

-7.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 PKR 715

$3.28 PKR 912

-21.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.02 PKR 1,119

$5.18 PKR 1,440

-22.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 PKR 181

$0.59 PKR 165

10.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 PKR 244

$0.88 PKR 245

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.52 PKR 146

-7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.36 PKR 99.7

5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 128

$0.47 PKR 132

-2.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.9

$0.38 PKR 106

-13.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.40 PKR 112

-7.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 PKR 504

$1.30 PKR 360

39.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 257

$1.27 PKR 354

-27.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 PKR 547

$2.14 PKR 596

-7.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 PKR 582

$2.06 PKR 573

1.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.00

$0.36 PKR 101

-55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.02 PKR 1,951

$6.49 PKR 1,803

8.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 PKR 154

$0.74 PKR 207

-25.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.67 PKR 186

-34.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 PKR 383

$1.78 PKR 495

-22.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 262

$0.87 PKR 242

8.05%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$16.5K PKR 4.6M

26.79%

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

$14.4K PKR 4.0M

$24.6K PKR 6.8M

-41.46%

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

$110 PKR 30.7K

$135 PKR 37.6K

-18.34%

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

$3.55 PKR 988

$4.93 PKR 1,371

-27.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.78 PKR 4,665

$13.36 PKR 3,713

25.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$4.86 PKR 1,350

$15.63 PKR 4,345

-68.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.79 PKR 777

$14.40 PKR 4,003

-80.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 PKR 957

$4.35 PKR 1,209

-20.92%

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

$16.61 PKR 4,618

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

-71.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$836 PKR 232.5K

$1,354 PKR 376.4K

-38.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.24 PKR 3,404

$17.69 PKR 4,918

-30.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.40 PKR 6,785

$25.06 PKR 6,968

-2.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 PKR 24.3K

$64.6 PKR 18.0K

35.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$21.50 PKR 5,977

$36.14 PKR 10.0K

-40.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$55.7 PKR 15.5K

$120 PKR 33.5K

-53.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$19.42 PKR 5,398

$75.3 PKR 20.9K

-74.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 PKR 32.0K

$318 PKR 88.5K

-63.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.4 PKR 16.0K

$179 PKR 49.8K

-67.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$998 PKR 277.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$463 PKR 128.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$232 PKR 64.5K

$171 PKR 47.5K

35.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

17.8

13.48%

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

Last update for Gujranwala: June 8, 2026

Last update for Karachi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $55.7 in Gujranwala versus $120 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 36% higher in Gujranwala, 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 $14.00 in Gujranwala versus $12.00 in Karachi. Groceries tell a different story – $89.0 in Gujranwala vs $98.0 in Karachi – so Gujranwala 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

Gujranwala vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $367 in Gujranwala, $483 in Karachi – roughly 32% apart. Karachi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $550 per month in Gujranwala and $725 in Karachi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Gujranwala and $12.00 in Karachi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $367 in Gujranwala and $483 in Karachi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $367 in Gujranwala and $483 in Karachi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Gujranwala – 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 Gujranwala. 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.