Cost of Living Comparison Between Guwahati and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Guwahati and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $382 per month in Guwahati vs $477 in Karachi, rent included.

A couple spends around $608 per month in Guwahati vs $727 in Karachi, rent included.

A family of three spends $835 per month in Guwahati vs $978 in Karachi, rent included.

Guwahati is about 20% cheaper than Karachi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Guwahati and Karachi are more affordable than the global median – Guwahati 71% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.37 ₹131

$2.14 PKR 595

-35.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.32 ₹988

$12.44 PKR 3,461

-17.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 ₹555

$4.06 PKR 1,129

42.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PKR 553

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 PKR 1,451

Cappuccino

$1.64 ₹157

$1.89 PKR 525

-13.23%

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

$0.34 ₹32.48

$0.36 PKR 101

-5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.06

$0.23 PKR 64.2

-43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 ₹136

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₹310

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 ₹70.8

$0.83 PKR 231

-10.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ₹45.15

$0.58 PKR 161

-18.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.5

$1.13 PKR 315

-51.33%

Eggs

$0.98 ₹94.1

$1.21 PKR 337

-19.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.43 ₹424

$6.29 PKR 1,749

-29.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ₹312

$3.19 PKR 887

2.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.91 PKR 1,365

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ₹177

$1.03 PKR 287

79.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹72.2

$0.58 PKR 162

29.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 ₹87.2

$0.93 PKR 258

-2.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 ₹75.4

$0.56 PKR 156

41.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 ₹29.96

$0.39 PKR 108

-20.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.78

$0.51 PKR 141

-31.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 ₹34.99

$0.38 PKR 107

-2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₹26.77

$0.43 PKR 120

-34.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 PKR 356

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 PKR 351

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 PKR 580

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ₹397

$2.08 PKR 580

99.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.03 ₹673

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₹141

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₹275

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.45 ₹426

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹28.72

$0.34 PKR 94.4

-11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.67 ₹542

$6.33 PKR 1,762

-10.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₹72.5

$0.74 PKR 205

2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ₹36.91

$0.61 PKR 171

-36.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₹143

$1.79 PKR 497

-16.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹113

$0.92 PKR 256

28.26%

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

$13.9K ₹1.3M

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

-15.46%

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

$17.9K ₹1.7M

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

-26.88%

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

$40.35 ₹3,861

$132 PKR 36.8K

-69.50%

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

$3.34 ₹320

$4.90 PKR 1,362

-31.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.56 ₹532

$13.63 PKR 3,791

-59.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.30 ₹1,273

$15.55 PKR 4,325

-14.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.89 ₹851

$14.33 PKR 3,986

-37.96%

Cinema Ticket

$2.83 ₹271

$4.33 PKR 1,203

-34.64%

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

$32.81 ₹3,140

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

-43.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,914 ₹183.1K

$1,402 PKR 389.9K

36.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.88 ₹2,477

$17.73 PKR 4,932

45.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 ₹3,347

$25.51 PKR 7,097

37.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.41 ₹4,346

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

-29.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.22 ₹4,040

$35.86 PKR 9,975

17.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$161 ₹15.4K

$122 PKR 33.8K

32.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.5 ₹7,030

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

-0.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 ₹34.9K

$323 PKR 89.8K

13.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 ₹14.3K

$182 PKR 50.6K

-17.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$624 ₹59.7K

$985 PKR 273.9K

-36.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$413 ₹39.5K

$457 PKR 127.2K

-9.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$344 ₹32.9K

$181 PKR 50.2K

90.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

17.8

-58.54%

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

Last update for Guwahati: June 1, 2026

Last update for Karachi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $161 in Guwahati 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 91% higher in Guwahati, 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 $10.00 in Guwahati versus $12.00 in Karachi. Groceries tell a different story – $103 in Guwahati vs $97.0 in Karachi – so Karachi 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

Guwahati vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Karachi is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $573 per month in Guwahati 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 Guwahati, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Guwahati. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $32.81 per month in Guwahati and $58.0 in Karachi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $382 in Guwahati and $477 in Karachi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Guwahati – 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 Guwahati. 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.