Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $484 in Karachi versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Karachi versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $987 in Karachi versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

Living in Karachi costs roughly 79% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Karachi is 64% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 571

$17.66 €15.43

-88.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.56 PKR 3,482

$69.7 €60.9

-81.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 PKR 1,107

$14.16 €12.37

-71.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 PKR 536

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 PKR 1,461

Cappuccino

$1.81 PKR 502

$2.80 €2.45

-35.36%

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

$0.33 PKR 92.6

$2.81 €2.46

-88.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$2.06 €1.80

-89.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 220

$1.23 €1.07

-35.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 PKR 161

$2.03 €1.78

-71.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 328

$1.98 €1.73

-40.40%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 320

$3.49 €3.05

-67.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 PKR 1,779

$18.33 €16.01

-65.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 866

$9.83 €8.59

-68.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 PKR 1,411

$19.13 €16.71

-73.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 286

$2.73 €2.38

-62.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$2.38 €2.08

-74.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 256

$2.08 €1.82

-55.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$2.75 €2.41

-79.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.1

$1.96 €1.71

-82.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$1.79 €1.57

-72.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 99.6

$1.48 €1.29

-75.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.91 €0.80

-54.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 346

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 367

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 PKR 572

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 PKR 598

$7.13 €6.23

-69.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PKR 92.6

$3.01 €2.63

-89.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.43 PKR 1,783

$29.35 €25.65

-78.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 206

$4.36 €3.81

-83.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 170

$2.13 €1.86

-71.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 PKR 483

$29.60 €25.86

-94.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$1.82 €1.59

-48.35%

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

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

$37.9K €33.1K

-55.81%

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

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

$32.4K €28.3K

-21.95%

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

$134 PKR 37.3K

$189 €165

-28.92%

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

$5.00 PKR 1,386

$22.29 €19.48

-77.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.28 PKR 3,684

$37.16 €32.47

-64.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.87 PKR 4,401

$58.0 €50.7

-72.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 PKR 3,979

$20.66 €18.05

-30.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,205

$10.87 €9.50

-60.07%

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

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

$706 €617

-91.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,356 PKR 376.2K

$14.9K €13.0K

-90.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.71 PKR 4,912

$89.4 €78.2

-80.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.79 PKR 7,153

$36.60 €31.98

-29.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

$104 €90.9

-38.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.84 PKR 9,940

$119 €104

-69.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

$1,579 €1,379

-92.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

$1,238 €1,082

-93.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 PKR 88.5K

$2,712 €2,370

-88.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 PKR 50.2K

$2,039 €1,782

-91.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 PKR 258.4K

$7,527 €6,576

-87.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$433 PKR 120.2K

$5,239 €4,577

-91.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 PKR 49.1K

$2,364 €2,065

-92.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

3.39

425.07%

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

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Karachi and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1236% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $13.00 in Karachi vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97.0 vs $320 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi and Barcelona differ by about 379% in total monthly costs ($484 vs $2,320 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1236% lower in Barcelona. 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 $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $58.8 in Karachi versus $706 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 230% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $484 in Karachi versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karachi but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Karachi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Karachi and Barcelona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 379% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.