Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Banjarmasin

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $584 in Banjarmasin, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Karachi
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$482
/mo nomad
Banjarmasin
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$584
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Banjarmasin

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 Banjarmasin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $482 per month in Karachi vs $584 in Banjarmasin, rent included.

  • Karachi $482
  • Banjarmasin $584

A couple spends around $750 per month in Karachi vs $921 in Banjarmasin, rent included.

  • Karachi $750
  • Banjarmasin $921

A family of three spends $1,018 per month in Karachi vs $1,258 in Banjarmasin, rent included.

  • Karachi $1,018
  • Banjarmasin $1,258

Karachi is about 18% cheaper than Banjarmasin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Karachi and Banjarmasin are more affordable than the global median – Karachi 64% lower, Banjarmasin 57% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karachi
Banjarmasin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 PKR 588
$1.14 Rp 20.6K
86.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.30 PKR 3,680
$14.15 Rp 254.8K
-6.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.45 PKR 1,508
$3.28 Rp 59.1K
66.16%
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
$2.09 PKR 579
$1.23 Rp 22.2K
69.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 PKR 111
$0.78 Rp 14.1K
-48.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 PKR 71.1
$0.35 Rp 6,222
-25.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.89 Rp 88.0K
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.51 Rp 63.2K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karachi
Banjarmasin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 PKR 254
$1.32 Rp 23.7K
-30.30%
White Bread (500g)
$0.56 PKR 156
$0.97 Rp 17.4K
-42.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.25 PKR 345
$0.85 Rp 15.2K
47.06%
Eggs
$1.23 PKR 341
$1.54 Rp 27.7K
-20.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.67 PKR 1,570
$6.69 Rp 120.3K
-15.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.16 PKR 876
$2.12 Rp 38.1K
49.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.28 PKR 1,737
$3.25 Rp 58.5K
93.23%
Apples (1kg)
$1.26 PKR 348
$1.91 Rp 34.4K
-34.03%
Banana (1kg)
$0.53 PKR 148
$1.12 Rp 20.1K
-52.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.00 PKR 276
$0.89 Rp 16.0K
12.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.56 PKR 154
$1.29 Rp 23.2K
-56.59%
Potato (1kg)
$0.33 PKR 91.4
$1.30 Rp 23.4K
-74.62%
Onion (1kg)
$0.34 PKR 95.1
$0.90 Rp 16.2K
-62.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.42 PKR 116
$0.73 Rp 13.1K
-42.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 PKR 121
$0.40 Rp 7,234
10.00%
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)
$1.84 PKR 509
$1.93 Rp 34.8K
-4.66%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$21.41 Rp 385.3K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.86 Rp 33.4K
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.12 Rp 56.1K
-
🚌 Getting Around
Karachi
Banjarmasin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 PKR 77.0
$0.29 Rp 5,217
-3.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.99 PKR 2,764
$16.77 Rp 301.8K
-40.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.92 PKR 256
$0.52 Rp 9,283
76.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.70 PKR 193
$0.37 Rp 6,657
89.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.16 PKR 597
$2.63 Rp 47.3K
-17.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 PKR 382
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
74.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9K PKR 5.0M
$24.4K Rp 438.7M
-26.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K PKR 7.5M
$26.7K Rp 479.8M
1.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karachi
Banjarmasin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$113 PKR 31.4K
$41.10 Rp 739.8K
176.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.95 PKR 1,648
$2.75 Rp 49.5K
116.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.16 PKR 3,642
$17.31 Rp 311.5K
-23.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karachi
Banjarmasin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$21.55 PKR 5,965
$19.71 Rp 354.7K
9.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.23 PKR 5,044
$7.89 Rp 142.0K
131.05%
Cinema Ticket
$4.21 PKR 1,165
$5.62 Rp 101.1K
-25.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karachi
Banjarmasin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$52.2 PKR 14.4K
$95.9 Rp 1.7M
-45.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,940 PKR 537.0K
$8,380 Rp 150.8M
-76.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karachi
Banjarmasin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.55 PKR 4,858
$42.79 Rp 770.1K
-58.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.51 PKR 6,506
$25.24 Rp 454.4K
-6.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.9 PKR 19.1K
$53.7 Rp 965.7K
28.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.59 PKR 11.2K
$32.67 Rp 588.1K
24.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karachi
Banjarmasin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$118 PKR 32.7K
$216 Rp 3.9M
-45.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$73.6 PKR 20.4K
$162 Rp 2.9M
-54.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$357 PKR 98.9K
$557 Rp 10.0M
-35.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$188 PKR 52.0K
$370 Rp 6.7M
-49.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,060 PKR 293.4K
$1,052 Rp 18.9M
0.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$481 PKR 133.1K
$822 Rp 14.8M
-41.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karachi
Banjarmasin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$183 PKR 50.6K
$204 Rp 3.7M
-10.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.21
9.46
39.64%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Banjarmasin: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karachi
$133
Banjarmasin
$61 53.9% $71
Groceries & Markets
Karachi
$101
Banjarmasin
$171 68.7% $70
Accommodation & Living
Karachi
$74
Banjarmasin
$162 120% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Karachi
$68
Banjarmasin
$69 2.6% $1.7
Eating Out
Karachi
$61
Banjarmasin
$70 14.1% $8.6
Sport & Entertainment
Karachi
$30
Banjarmasin
$31 3.2% $1
Getting Around
Karachi
$16
Banjarmasin
$20 30.7% $4.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Karachi versus $216 in Banjarmasin. 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 12% higher in Banjarmasin, 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 $13.00 in Karachi versus $14.00 in Banjarmasin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $101 vs $171 – making Karachi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Karachi
🇮🇩 Banjarmasin
🕒 Local time
12:08 12:08 PM
15:08 3:08 PM
3 h ahead of Karachi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
14,910,352
715,703
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Karachi Banjarmasin 6,010 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Karachi
  • Banjarmasin

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 Banjarmasin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Banjarmasin cheaper than Karachi?
Yes – Banjarmasin is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $723 per month in Karachi and $877 in Banjarmasin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Karachi or in Banjarmasin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Karachi and $14.00 in Banjarmasin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Karachi and in Banjarmasin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $482 in Karachi and $584 in Banjarmasin. That's a gap of about 21%.
Is $1,200 enough for either Karachi or Banjarmasin?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $482 in Karachi and $584 in Banjarmasin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Karachi or Banjarmasin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Karachi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Banjarmasin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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