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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $593 per month in Islamabad vs $476 in Karachi, rent included.

A couple spends around $929 per month in Islamabad vs $742 in Karachi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,264 per month in Islamabad vs $1,009 in Karachi, rent included.

Islamabad costs about 25% more than Karachi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Islamabad and Karachi are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 57% lower, Karachi 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 PKR 985

$2.20 PKR 609

61.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 PKR 6,431

$13.66 PKR 3,785

69.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 PKR 1,507

$5.54 PKR 1,536

-1.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 PKR 1,027

$2.15 PKR 595

72.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 PKR 1,866

$7.36 PKR 2,039

-8.56%

Cappuccino

$2.51 PKR 694

$2.23 PKR 617

12.56%

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

$0.33 PKR 90.1

$0.36 PKR 99.3

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.2

$0.26 PKR 72.4

-19.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.85 PKR 234

10.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 PKR 209

$0.55 PKR 154

36.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 PKR 347

$1.20 PKR 332

4.17%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 335

$1.22 PKR 338

-0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 PKR 1,679

$6.24 PKR 1,727

-2.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 PKR 886

$3.10 PKR 860

3.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.46 PKR 1,512

$6.36 PKR 1,761

-14.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 PKR 346

$1.27 PKR 351

-1.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 PKR 224

$0.54 PKR 150

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 286

$1.04 PKR 287

-0.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.61 PKR 168

-14.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.26 PKR 71.2

$0.32 PKR 88.2

-18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.7

$0.30 PKR 84.4

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 PKR 83.6

$0.40 PKR 110

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 PKR 118

$0.43 PKR 120

-2.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.01 PKR 556

$1.28 PKR 355

57.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 PKR 343

$1.38 PKR 381

-10.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 PKR 719

$2.41 PKR 666

7.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 PKR 641

$1.82 PKR 503

27.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.7

$0.28 PKR 77.4

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.86 PKR 6,057

$8.08 PKR 2,239

170.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 PKR 358

$0.74 PKR 205

74.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.74 PKR 204

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 PKR 445

$2.11 PKR 583

-23.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PKR 348

$1.32 PKR 366

-5.30%

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

$54.2K PKR 15.0M

$18.1K PKR 5.0M

200.23%

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

$24.6K PKR 6.8M

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

-9.36%

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

$104 PKR 28.9K

$109 PKR 30.2K

-4.09%

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

$5.88 PKR 1,628

$5.83 PKR 1,614

0.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.18 PKR 4,481

$12.96 PKR 3,589

24.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.70 PKR 7,951

$21.39 PKR 5,927

34.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.46 PKR 2,345

$18.82 PKR 5,214

-55.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.37 PKR 1,210

$4.25 PKR 1,178

2.82%

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

$74.9 PKR 20.8K

$50.1 PKR 13.9K

49.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

$1,571 PKR 435.2K

223.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.08 PKR 6,947

$15.72 PKR 4,355

59.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 PKR 9,727

$22.45 PKR 6,218

56.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 PKR 27.0K

$68.5 PKR 19.0K

42.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.92 PKR 11.1K

$38.80 PKR 10.7K

2.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 PKR 77.0K

$111 PKR 30.8K

150.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 PKR 38.3K

$72.9 PKR 20.2K

89.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 PKR 163.5K

$327 PKR 90.5K

80.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 PKR 76.8K

$181 PKR 50.1K

53.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 PKR 450.1K

$1,018 PKR 281.9K

59.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$816 PKR 226.1K

$484 PKR 134.2K

68.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$379 PKR 104.9K

$178 PKR 49.2K

113.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

12.88

1.55%

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

Last update for Islamabad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Karachi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $278 in Islamabad 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 113% 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $14.00 in Karachi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $102 – 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 25%, 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 $890 per month in Islamabad and $714 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 $23.00 in Islamabad and $14.00 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 $593 in Islamabad and $476 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.