Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Asansol

For one person, living is cheaper in Asansol: $343 a month against $483 in Karachi, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
Learn more

Karachi Living Index
17

Cost of Living Index in Asansol
Learn more

Asansol Living Index

Jump to prices

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$483

/mo nomad

Asansol

🇮🇳 India

$343

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Asansol

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $483 in Karachi versus $343 in Asansol.

Karachi $483
Asansol $343

Estimated couple costs with rent: $754 in Karachi versus $574 in Asansol.

Karachi $754
Asansol $574

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,025 in Karachi versus $806 in Asansol.

Karachi $1,025
Asansol $806

Living in Karachi is roughly 41% more expensive than in Asansol, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 64% lower, Asansol 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 PKR 585

$2.17 ₹206

-2.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.73 PKR 3,801

$13.96 ₹1,325

-1.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PKR 1,531

$3.21 ₹305

72.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 PKR 609

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 PKR 2,040

Cappuccino

$2.14 PKR 593

$1.17 ₹111

82.91%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.46 ₹43.27

-13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 PKR 77.7

$0.16 ₹14.89

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₹169

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₹153

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.65 ₹61.7

38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.29 ₹27.47

89.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 333

$0.70 ₹66.6

71.43%

Eggs

$1.25 PKR 346

$0.84 ₹79.5

48.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.96 PKR 1,650

$5.53 ₹525

7.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 PKR 883

$2.98 ₹283

7.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.48 PKR 1,793

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 344

$2.05 ₹195

-39.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 147

$0.55 ₹52.1

-3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 284

$1.22 ₹116

-15.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.68 ₹64.7

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 85.1

$0.30 ₹28.60

3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 87.1

$0.39 ₹37.43

-20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.31 ₹29.08

32.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 120

$0.28 ₹26.89

57.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.31 PKR 362

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 369

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PKR 670

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 PKR 508

$3.75 ₹356

-51.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 ₹988

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₹144

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 ₹257

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.13 ₹487

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 76.8

$0.33 ₹31.79

-15.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.81 PKR 2,716

$7.24 ₹688

35.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 PKR 240

$0.88 ₹83.4

-1.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 204

$0.33 ₹31.76

124.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 PKR 617

$1.59 ₹151

40.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 PKR 383

$1.10 ₹104

25.45%

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

$18.4K PKR 5.1M

$13.0K ₹1.2M

41.59%

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

$26.4K PKR 7.3M

$18.2K ₹1.7M

45.67%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$35.97 ₹3,416

214.93%

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

$6.12 PKR 1,694

$5.02 ₹476

21.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.11 PKR 3,628

$7.38 ₹701

77.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.78 PKR 6,029

$12.05 ₹1,144

80.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.27 PKR 5,058

$7.80 ₹740

134.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,179

$2.86 ₹272

48.95%

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

$52.1 PKR 14.4K

$43.27 ₹4,109

20.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,941 PKR 537.3K

$1,460 ₹138.6K

32.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.53 PKR 4,852

$23.19 ₹2,203

-24.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.88 PKR 6,332

$20.48 ₹1,945

11.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 PKR 18.8K

$36.16 ₹3,434

88.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.55 PKR 11.5K

$29.45 ₹2,797

41.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.5K

$84.9 ₹8,066

38.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.2 PKR 20.3K

$52.1 ₹4,951

40.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 PKR 99.6K

$241 ₹22.9K

49.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.1K

$167 ₹15.9K

12.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,082 PKR 299.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$474 PKR 131.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.4K

$271 ₹25.8K

-32.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

9.08

45.48%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Asansol: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karachi

$133 27.4%

Asansol

$48 14.1% 63.5% $84

Groceries & Markets

Karachi

$102 21.1%

Asansol

$109 31.8% 6.7% $6.9

Accommodation & Living

Karachi

$73 15.2%

Asansol

$52 15.2% 28.8% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Karachi

$68 14%

Asansol

$49 14.3% 27.2% $18

Eating Out

Karachi

$62 12.8%

Asansol

$56 16.2% 10.3% $6.4

Sport & Entertainment

Karachi

$30 6.3%

Asansol

$18 5.2% 41.4% $13

Getting Around

Karachi

$15 3.2%

Asansol

$11 3.2% 28.1% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Karachi and $84.9 in Asansol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Asansol pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Karachi vs $14.00 in Asansol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $102 vs $109 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Karachi

🇮🇳 Asansol

🕒 Local time

19:53 7:53 PM

20:23 8:23 PM

30 min ahead of Karachi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,910,352

500,000

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Karachi Asansol 2,030 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Karachi
Asansol

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

Karachi vs Asansol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Asansol wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Karachi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Asansol the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Asansol. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $118 in Karachi versus $84.9 in Asansol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Asansol – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $14.00 in Karachi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $483 per month in Karachi versus $343 in Asansol – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Asansol gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Asansol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.