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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $437 per month in Hyderabad vs $457 in Karachi, rent included.

A couple spends around $677 per month in Hyderabad vs $728 in Karachi, rent included.

A family of three spends $917 per month in Hyderabad vs $999 in Karachi, rent included.

Hyderabad is about 4% cheaper than Karachi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Karachi are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 68% lower, Karachi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.69 PKR 470

$2.20 PKR 611

-23.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.77 PKR 2,984

$14.33 PKR 3,973

-24.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.22 PKR 1,169

$5.27 PKR 1,462

-19.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 PKR 585

$2.14 PKR 593

-1.40%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 PKR 1,564

$7.36 PKR 2,039

-23.37%

Cappuccino

$1.07 PKR 297

$2.20 PKR 610

-51.36%

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

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.33 PKR 92.3

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.23 PKR 63.3

4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 PKR 229

$0.89 PKR 248

-6.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 157

$0.52 PKR 145

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 334

$1.24 PKR 345

-3.23%

Eggs

$1.19 PKR 331

$1.21 PKR 335

-1.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.28 PKR 1,186

$6.19 PKR 1,715

-30.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 PKR 869

$3.03 PKR 841

3.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.14 PKR 1,148

$6.11 PKR 1,695

-32.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 298

$1.22 PKR 339

-11.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.55 PKR 153

-25.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 PKR 188

$0.98 PKR 272

-30.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 129

$0.59 PKR 164

-20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$0.34 PKR 95.1

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.8

$0.31 PKR 85.2

6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.39 PKR 109

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.43 PKR 121

2.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.92 PKR 256

$1.25 PKR 346

-26.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 PKR 312

$1.32 PKR 365

-14.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 PKR 208

$2.48 PKR 687

-69.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.81 PKR 502

$1.79 PKR 496

1.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 54.2

$0.28 PKR 77.5

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.14 PKR 2,810

$8.20 PKR 2,273

23.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 PKR 179

$0.74 PKR 205

-12.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 PKR 57.0

$0.70 PKR 194

-70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 193

$2.20 PKR 609

-68.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 PKR 322

$1.33 PKR 369

-12.78%

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

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

-1.88%

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

$25.6K PKR 7.1M

$27.6K PKR 7.6M

-7.13%

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

$104 PKR 28.9K

$104 PKR 28.8K

0.60%

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

$5.56 PKR 1,540

$5.88 PKR 1,629

-5.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.56 PKR 3,482

$12.86 PKR 3,564

-2.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 PKR 6,379

$20.32 PKR 5,632

13.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.52 PKR 975

$18.66 PKR 5,173

-81.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 PKR 993

$4.40 PKR 1,221

-18.64%

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

$50.1 PKR 13.9K

$50.4 PKR 14.0K

-0.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,321 PKR 366.1K

$1,375 PKR 381.1K

-3.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.64 PKR 4,057

$14.81 PKR 4,106

-1.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.51 PKR 6,239

$21.90 PKR 6,070

2.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 PKR 18.3K

$65.2 PKR 18.1K

1.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.63 PKR 9,876

$35.81 PKR 9,925

-0.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$137 PKR 38.0K

$111 PKR 30.8K

23.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.0 PKR 21.3K

$70.9 PKR 19.6K

8.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 PKR 83.4K

$297 PKR 82.2K

1.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 PKR 59.4K

$180 PKR 49.9K

19.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$786 PKR 217.8K

$976 PKR 270.6K

-19.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$467 PKR 129.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$158 PKR 43.9K

$182 PKR 50.4K

-12.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

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

Last update for Hyderabad: August 31, 2026

Last update for Karachi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $137 in Hyderabad versus $111 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 15% 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 $11.00 in Hyderabad versus $14.00 in Karachi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $86.0 vs $101 – 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 $655 per month in Hyderabad and $685 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 $11.00 in Hyderabad and $14.00 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 $437 in Hyderabad and $457 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 $437 in Hyderabad and $457 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.