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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $372 per month in Gujranwala vs $483 in Karachi, rent included.

A couple spends around $559 per month in Gujranwala vs $731 in Karachi, rent included.

A family of three spends $746 per month in Gujranwala vs $979 in Karachi, rent included.

Gujranwala is about 23% cheaper than Karachi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Gujranwala and Karachi are more affordable than the global median – Gujranwala 72% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.54 PKR 150

$2.06 PKR 572

-73.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.92 PKR 3,863

$12.15 PKR 3,373

14.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.40 PKR 1,499

$4.00 PKR 1,112

35.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 PKR 240

$1.92 PKR 533

-54.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 PKR 1,085

$5.33 PKR 1,478

-26.64%

Cappuccino

$1.31 PKR 365

$1.85 PKR 513

-29.19%

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

$0.20 PKR 55.5

$0.33 PKR 92.7

-39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 PKR 48.30

$0.23 PKR 64.0

-26.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 PKR 209

$0.84 PKR 232

-10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 PKR 182

$0.58 PKR 162

12.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 PKR 302

$1.12 PKR 310

-2.68%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 318

$1.17 PKR 325

-1.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 PKR 1,731

$6.28 PKR 1,744

-0.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.56 PKR 711

$3.18 PKR 884

-19.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.08 PKR 1,133

$5.03 PKR 1,396

-18.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.05 PKR 291

-1.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.59 PKR 165

1.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 PKR 262

$0.92 PKR 256

3.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.54 PKR 149

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 97.9

$0.35 PKR 98.2

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.47 PKR 130

-8.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.0

$0.35 PKR 97.8

-11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 95.5

$0.44 PKR 121

-22.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.83 PKR 508

$1.29 PKR 358

41.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PKR 239

$1.27 PKR 353

-32.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 PKR 559

$2.05 PKR 569

-1.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 PKR 574

$2.08 PKR 578

-0.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 54.1

$0.36 PKR 100

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.18 PKR 1,991

$6.42 PKR 1,782

11.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 PKR 150

$0.69 PKR 190

-21.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 112

$0.66 PKR 184

-39.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 PKR 383

$1.73 PKR 480

-20.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.92 PKR 254

1.09%

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

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

$16.8K PKR 4.7M

28.48%

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

$14.3K PKR 4.0M

$24.8K PKR 6.9M

-42.33%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$133 PKR 36.8K

-14.75%

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

$3.60 PKR 998

$4.86 PKR 1,349

-25.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.38 PKR 4,547

$13.62 PKR 3,779

20.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$4.63 PKR 1,285

$15.31 PKR 4,250

-69.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.81 PKR 780

$14.55 PKR 4,038

-80.69%

Cinema Ticket

$3.30 PKR 916

$4.11 PKR 1,142

-19.71%

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

$16.53 PKR 4,589

$57.5 PKR 16.0K

-71.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$865 PKR 240.0K

$1,387 PKR 385.0K

-37.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.22 PKR 3,391

$17.46 PKR 4,847

-30.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.58 PKR 6,822

$25.90 PKR 7,188

-5.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 PKR 24.5K

$63.6 PKR 17.6K

38.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$21.34 PKR 5,923

$36.40 PKR 10.1K

-41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$54.2 PKR 15.0K

$119 PKR 33.0K

-54.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$19.63 PKR 5,448

$75.6 PKR 21.0K

-74.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 PKR 32.0K

$318 PKR 88.2K

-63.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.5 PKR 15.9K

$185 PKR 51.3K

-68.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$912 PKR 253.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$442 PKR 122.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$231 PKR 64.1K

$179 PKR 49.7K

29.01%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Karachi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $54.2 in Gujranwala versus $119 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 29% 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 $97.0 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: $372 in Gujranwala, $483 in Karachi – roughly 30% apart. Karachi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $559 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 $372 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 $372 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.