Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Islamabad vs $477 in Karachi, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Islamabad vs $727 in Karachi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,141 per month in Islamabad vs $978 in Karachi, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 11% more than Karachi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Karachi are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 61% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 779

$2.14 PKR 595

30.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.22 PKR 3,955

$12.44 PKR 3,461

14.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$4.06 PKR 1,129

33.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$1.99 PKR 553

-13.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$5.22 PKR 1,451

-23.37%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$1.89 PKR 525

5.82%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.36 PKR 101

19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.23 PKR 64.2

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.83 PKR 231

13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 173

$0.58 PKR 161

6.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.13 PKR 315

7.08%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.21 PKR 337

-0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 PKR 1,689

$6.29 PKR 1,749

-3.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 PKR 942

$3.19 PKR 887

6.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 PKR 1,218

$4.91 PKR 1,365

-10.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$0.58 PKR 162

34.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.93 PKR 258

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.56 PKR 156

7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$0.39 PKR 108

5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.51 PKR 141

5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.38 PKR 107

-10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.43 PKR 120

-13.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

$1.28 PKR 356

50.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

$1.26 PKR 351

-28.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

$2.08 PKR 580

-4.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 596

$2.08 PKR 580

2.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.2

$0.34 PKR 94.4

-44.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 PKR 1,921

$6.33 PKR 1,762

9.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 238

$0.74 PKR 205

16.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.61 PKR 171

-27.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$1.79 PKR 497

56.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.92 PKR 256

-1.09%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

31.15%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

6.84%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$132 PKR 36.8K

-15.54%

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

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$4.90 PKR 1,362

11.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 PKR 5,234

$13.63 PKR 3,791

38.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 PKR 6,174

$15.55 PKR 4,325

42.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,679

$14.33 PKR 3,986

-57.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,171

$4.33 PKR 1,203

-2.77%

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

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

4.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

$1,402 PKR 389.9K

100.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 5,999

$17.73 PKR 4,932

21.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.63 PKR 7,686

$25.51 PKR 7,097

8.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

37.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$35.86 PKR 9,976

11.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 PKR 55.1K

$122 PKR 33.8K

62.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 PKR 31.1K

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

51.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 PKR 142.6K

$323 PKR 89.8K

58.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 PKR 82.3K

$182 PKR 50.6K

62.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

$985 PKR 273.9K

57.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 PKR 182.9K

$457 PKR 127.3K

43.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 PKR 107.8K

$181 PKR 50.2K

114.60%

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 Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Last update for Karachi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Islamabad 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 115% higher in Islamabad, 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 $14.00 in Islamabad versus $12.00 in Karachi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $98.0 vs $97.0 – making Karachi 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

Islamabad vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Islamabad is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $794 per month in Islamabad 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 Karachi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Islamabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Islamabad and $12.00 in Karachi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $529 in Islamabad and $477 in Karachi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Karachi – 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 Karachi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Islamabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.