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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $384 per month in Guwahati vs $475 in Karachi, rent included.

A couple spends around $651 per month in Guwahati vs $735 in Karachi, rent included.

A family of three spends $917 per month in Guwahati vs $995 in Karachi, rent included.

Guwahati is about 19% cheaper than Karachi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Guwahati and Karachi are more affordable than the global median – Guwahati 72% lower, Karachi 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 ₹284

$2.11 PKR 584

40.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.84 ₹1,131

$14.17 PKR 3,924

-16.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 ₹507

$5.56 PKR 1,540

-4.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 PKR 591

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 PKR 1,988

Cappuccino

$2.45 ₹234

$2.29 PKR 633

6.99%

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

$0.44 ₹42.05

$0.38 PKR 106

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹14.85

$0.24 PKR 66.0

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ₹120

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₹335

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 ₹62.4

$0.85 PKR 237

-23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₹41.85

$0.57 PKR 157

-22.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.56 ₹53.2

$1.22 PKR 337

-54.10%

Eggs

$0.97 ₹93.1

$1.22 PKR 339

-20.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.91 ₹373

$6.08 PKR 1,684

-35.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 ₹314

$3.14 PKR 870

4.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 PKR 1,732

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 ₹212

$1.22 PKR 339

81.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹64.2

$0.59 PKR 163

13.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 ₹90.6

$0.99 PKR 274

-4.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹63.1

$0.56 PKR 154

17.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.58

$0.35 PKR 95.7

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.07

$0.33 PKR 91.5

6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 ₹30.33

$0.36 PKR 101

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹28.01

$0.40 PKR 111

-27.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 PKR 357

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 367

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 PKR 692

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.06 ₹483

$1.79 PKR 496

182.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₹700

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₹159

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 ₹248

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

$4.81 ₹460

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.09

$0.30 PKR 83.7

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.38 ₹514

$7.95 PKR 2,201

-32.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₹65.6

$0.70 PKR 195

-1.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹26.46

$0.73 PKR 203

-61.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ₹124

$2.12 PKR 587

-38.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.34 PKR 371

-17.91%

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

$12.9K ₹1.2M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

-28.37%

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

$16.6K ₹1.6M

$27.2K PKR 7.5M

-39.06%

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

$34.53 ₹3,299

$110 PKR 30.5K

-68.61%

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

$3.26 ₹312

$5.71 PKR 1,582

-42.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.15 ₹588

$13.12 PKR 3,634

-53.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.24 ₹1,169

$21.28 PKR 5,896

-42.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.03 ₹958

$18.76 PKR 5,198

-46.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 ₹297

$4.20 PKR 1,164

-25.95%

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

$27.33 ₹2,611

$50.3 PKR 13.9K

-45.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,273 ₹217.1K

$1,589 PKR 440.2K

43.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.52 ₹1,674

$15.49 PKR 4,290

13.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.33 ₹2,994

$22.03 PKR 6,104

42.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.94 ₹3,625

$67.7 PKR 18.7K

-43.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.72 ₹2,648

$38.00 PKR 10.5K

-27.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$140 ₹13.4K

$108 PKR 29.8K

30.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.0 ₹6,692

$71.6 PKR 19.8K

-2.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 ₹27.6K

$323 PKR 89.4K

-10.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ₹22.6K

$184 PKR 51.0K

28.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$634 ₹60.6K

$1,036 PKR 287.0K

-38.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$417 ₹39.8K

$470 PKR 130.2K

-11.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$343 ₹32.8K

$182 PKR 50.4K

88.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

12.88

-42.70%

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

Last update for Guwahati: September 6, 2026

Last update for Karachi: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $140 in Guwahati versus $108 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 89% 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 $12.00 in Guwahati versus $14.00 in Karachi. Groceries tell a different story – $102 in Guwahati vs $101 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 24%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $576 per month in Guwahati and $713 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 48% less in Guwahati. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $27.33 per month in Guwahati and $50.3 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 $384 in Guwahati and $475 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.