Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $459 per month in Hyderabad vs $484 in Karachi, rent included.

A couple spends around $699 per month in Hyderabad vs $735 in Karachi, rent included.

A family of three spends $939 per month in Hyderabad vs $987 in Karachi, rent included.

Hyderabad is about 5% cheaper than Karachi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Karachi are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 66% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 PKR 504

$2.06 PKR 571

-11.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.42 PKR 2,891

$12.56 PKR 3,482

-17.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.05 PKR 1,122

$3.99 PKR 1,107

1.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 PKR 555

$1.93 PKR 536

3.63%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.26 PKR 1,460

$5.27 PKR 1,461

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$0.93 PKR 259

$1.81 PKR 502

-48.62%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.0

$0.33 PKR 92.6

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.21 PKR 58.0

9.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.79 PKR 220

-7.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 PKR 139

$0.58 PKR 161

-13.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 PKR 322

$1.18 PKR 328

-1.69%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 307

$1.15 PKR 320

-3.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,679

$6.41 PKR 1,779

-5.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 PKR 751

$3.12 PKR 866

-13.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.18 PKR 1,159

$5.09 PKR 1,411

-17.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 300

$1.03 PKR 286

4.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.60 PKR 166

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 241

$0.92 PKR 256

-5.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.57 PKR 159

-8.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.6

$0.35 PKR 98.1

2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 140

$0.50 PKR 140

2.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.36 PKR 99.6

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.41 PKR 113

7.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.88 PKR 245

$1.25 PKR 346

-29.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 PKR 348

$1.32 PKR 367

-5.30%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 PKR 579

$2.06 PKR 572

1.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 PKR 602

$2.16 PKR 598

0.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 PKR 42.55

$0.33 PKR 92.6

-54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.50 PKR 2,635

$6.43 PKR 1,783

47.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 PKR 180

$0.74 PKR 206

-12.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 PKR 55.0

$0.61 PKR 170

-67.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 PKR 200

$1.74 PKR 483

-58.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 PKR 243

$0.94 PKR 261

-6.38%

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

$16.9K PKR 4.7M

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

0.65%

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

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

-9.14%

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

$135 PKR 37.4K

$134 PKR 37.3K

0.27%

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

$4.61 PKR 1,278

$5.00 PKR 1,386

-7.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.27 PKR 3,681

$13.28 PKR 3,684

-0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.84 PKR 5,780

$15.87 PKR 4,401

31.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.45 PKR 958

$14.35 PKR 3,979

-75.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.51 PKR 974

$4.34 PKR 1,205

-19.12%

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

$41.17 PKR 11.4K

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

-29.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,109 PKR 307.5K

$1,356 PKR 376.2K

-18.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.58 PKR 4,874

$17.71 PKR 4,912

-0.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.02 PKR 6,938

$25.79 PKR 7,153

-2.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.6 PKR 17.9K

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

0.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.40 PKR 10.1K

$35.84 PKR 9,940

1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.0 PKR 18.8K

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

-9.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 PKR 81.6K

$319 PKR 88.5K

-7.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 PKR 53.9K

$181 PKR 50.2K

7.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$590 PKR 163.5K

$932 PKR 258.4K

-36.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$196 PKR 54.3K

$433 PKR 120.2K

-54.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$174 PKR 48.3K

$177 PKR 49.1K

-1.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

-15.73%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: July 11, 2026

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Hyderabad versus $118 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 2% 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 $10.00 in Hyderabad versus $13.00 in Karachi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $89.0 vs $97.0 – making Hyderabad 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

Hyderabad vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi costs about 5% more than Hyderabad, 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 $688 per month in Hyderabad and $726 in Karachi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hyderabad, 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 $10.00 in Hyderabad and $13.00 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 $459 in Hyderabad and $484 in Karachi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $459 in Hyderabad and $484 in Karachi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Hyderabad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hyderabad. 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.