Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Island Garden City of Samal and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $747 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Island Garden City of Samal
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Island Garden City of Samal Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index

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Island Garden City of Samal

🇵🇭 Philippines

$747

/mo nomad

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$482

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Island Garden City of Samal and in Karachi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Island Garden City of Samal and in Karachi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $747 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $482 in Karachi, rent included.

Island Garden City of Samal $747
Karachi $482

A couple spends around $1,102 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $750 in Karachi, rent included.

Island Garden City of Samal $1,102
Karachi $750

A family of three spends $1,457 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $1,018 in Karachi, rent included.

Island Garden City of Samal $1,457
Karachi $1,018

Island Garden City of Samal costs about 55% more than Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Island Garden City of Samal and Karachi are more affordable than the global median – Island Garden City of Samal 45% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.22 ₱76.6

$2.13 PKR 588

-42.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.02 ₱1,072

$13.30 PKR 3,680

27.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 ₱256

$5.45 PKR 1,508

-25.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 607

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 PKR 2,005

Cappuccino

$2.18 ₱137

$2.09 PKR 579

4.31%

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

$1.04 ₱65.7

$0.40 PKR 111

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱40.33

$0.26 PKR 71.1

146.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₱74.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₱128

$0.92 PKR 254

120.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₱71.5

$0.56 PKR 156

103.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₱55.2

$1.25 PKR 345

-29.60%

Eggs

$1.87 ₱118

$1.23 PKR 341

52.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.26 ₱394

$5.67 PKR 1,570

10.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 ₱292

$3.16 PKR 876

46.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 ₱573

$6.28 PKR 1,737

44.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 ₱172

$1.26 PKR 348

116.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₱70.4

$0.53 PKR 148

111.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ₱150

$1.00 PKR 276

138.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₱71.7

$0.56 PKR 154

103.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 ₱125

$0.33 PKR 91.4

500.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 ₱215

$0.34 PKR 95.1

902.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 ₱76.0

$0.42 PKR 116

188.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱45.46

$0.44 PKR 121

63.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 346

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 365

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PKR 670

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 ₱156

$1.84 PKR 509

35.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 ₱489

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱77.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₱106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ₱18.09

$0.28 PKR 77.0

3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.62 ₱732

$9.99 PKR 2,764

16.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱52.0

$0.92 PKR 256

-9.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.83

$0.70 PKR 193

-64.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 ₱121

$2.16 PKR 597

-11.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₱78.0

$1.38 PKR 382

-10.14%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

18.45%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

-30.33%

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

$98.4 ₱6,196

$113 PKR 31.4K

-13.26%

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

$19.24 ₱1,211

$5.95 PKR 1,648

223.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.01 ₱1,952

$13.16 PKR 3,642

135.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.89 ₱1,882

$21.55 PKR 5,965

38.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.57 ₱288

$18.23 PKR 5,044

-74.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 ₱307

$4.21 PKR 1,165

15.68%

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

$107 ₱6,729

$52.2 PKR 14.4K

104.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,691 ₱484.2K

$1,940 PKR 537.0K

296.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.60 ₱2,115

$17.55 PKR 4,858

91.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.67 ₱1,238

$23.51 PKR 6,506

-16.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 ₱4,433

$68.9 PKR 19.1K

2.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.4 ₱3,929

$40.59 PKR 11.2K

53.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 ₱15.7K

$118 PKR 32.7K

111.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 ₱12.4K

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

167.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$504 ₱31.7K

$357 PKR 98.9K

41.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 ₱19.8K

$188 PKR 52.0K

67.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,056 ₱129.4K

$1,060 PKR 293.4K

93.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,083 ₱68.2K

$481 PKR 133.1K

125.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 PKR 50.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.31

13.21

-37.09%

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

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: October 11, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Island Garden City of Samal

$199 26.6%

Karachi

$101 21% 49.1% $98

Accommodation & Living

Island Garden City of Samal

$197 26.3%

Karachi

$74 15.3% 62.6% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Island Garden City of Samal

$149 19.9%

Karachi

$133 27.5% 10.8% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Island Garden City of Samal

$84 11.2%

Karachi

$68 14.1% 19.1% $16

Eating Out

Island Garden City of Samal

$65 8.7%

Karachi

$61 12.7% 5.5% $3.6

Sport & Entertainment

Island Garden City of Samal

$40 5.3%

Karachi

$30 6.2% 24.4% $9.7

Getting Around

Island Garden City of Samal

$15 2%

Karachi

$16 3.2% 4.5% $0.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $250 in Island Garden City of Samal 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $13.00 in Karachi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $101 – making Karachi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Island Garden City of Samal

🇵🇰 Karachi

🕒 Local time

03:40 3:40 AM

00:40 12:40 AM

3 h behind Island Garden City of Samal

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

116,771

14,910,352

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Island Garden City of Samal Karachi 6,530 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Island Garden City of Samal
Karachi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Island Garden City of Samal vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Island Garden City of Samal costs about 55% more than Karachi, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,121 per month in Island Garden City of Samal and $723 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $747 in Island Garden City of Samal and $482 in Karachi. That's a gap of about 55%.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Karachi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $747 in Island Garden City of Samal and $482 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, Island Garden City of Samal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.