Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Barnaul

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $999 in Barnaul, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Barnaul
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Barnaul Living Index

Jump to prices

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$482

/mo nomad

Barnaul

🇷🇺 Russia

$999

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Barnaul

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $482 in Karachi versus $999 in Barnaul.

Karachi $482
Barnaul $999

Estimated couple costs with rent: $750 in Karachi versus $1,517 in Barnaul.

Karachi $750
Barnaul $1,517

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,018 in Karachi versus $2,035 in Barnaul.

Karachi $1,018
Barnaul $2,035

Living in Karachi costs roughly 52% less than in Barnaul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 64% lower, Barnaul 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 588

$11.39 ₽951

-81.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.30 PKR 3,680

$39.14 ₽3,267

-66.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 PKR 1,508

$6.02 ₽503

-9.47%

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

$2.63 ₽219

-20.53%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.69 ₽57.4

-42.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 71.1

$0.56 ₽46.87

-53.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₽97.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ₽118

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 254

$1.04 ₽86.9

-11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.57 ₽47.68

-1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 PKR 345

$1.36 ₽114

-8.09%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 341

$1.47 ₽123

-16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.67 PKR 1,570

$11.72 ₽979

-51.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 PKR 876

$4.55 ₽380

-30.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.28 PKR 1,737

$11.84 ₽989

-46.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 348

$1.86 ₽155

-32.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 148

$1.79 ₽149

-70.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 276

$1.93 ₽161

-48.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 154

$2.16 ₽181

-74.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.4

$0.80 ₽67.2

-58.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 95.1

$0.46 ₽38.71

-26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 PKR 116

$1.50 ₽125

-72.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.43 ₽36.22

2.33%

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

$3.02 ₽252

-39.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 ₽800

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₽76.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₽116

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 77.0

$0.56 ₽46.71

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,764

$25.42 ₽2,121

-60.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 256

$1.55 ₽129

-40.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 193

$0.50 ₽41.80

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 PKR 597

$5.88 ₽491

-63.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 PKR 382

$0.80 ₽67.0

72.50%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$24.3K ₽2.0M

-26.20%

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

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

$33.3K ₽2.8M

-18.71%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$109 ₽9,104

4.01%

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

$5.95 PKR 1,648

$6.13 ₽511

-2.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.16 PKR 3,642

$7.99 ₽667

64.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.55 PKR 5,965

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.23 PKR 5,044

$17.64 ₽1,472

3.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,165

$4.91 ₽410

-14.26%

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

$52.2 PKR 14.4K

$351 ₽29.3K

-85.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,940 PKR 537.0K

$14.5K ₽1.2M

-86.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.55 PKR 4,858

$63.9 ₽5,334

-72.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.51 PKR 6,506

$44.19 ₽3,688

-46.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 PKR 19.1K

$113 ₽9,422

-38.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.59 PKR 11.2K

$98.8 ₽8,243

-58.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.7K

$444 ₽37.1K

-73.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

$335 ₽28.0K

-78.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 PKR 98.9K

$660 ₽55.1K

-45.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.0K

$504 ₽42.1K

-62.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,060 PKR 293.4K

$2,005 ₽167.3K

-47.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$481 PKR 133.1K

$1,697 ₽141.6K

-71.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 PKR 50.6K

$664 ₽55.4K

-72.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

22.83

-42.14%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Barnaul: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karachi

$133 27.5%

Barnaul

$123 12.3% 7.1% $9.4

Groceries & Markets

Karachi

$101 21%

Barnaul

$201 20.1% 98.2% $99

Accommodation & Living

Karachi

$74 15.3%

Barnaul

$335 33.5% 355% $261

Clothing & Footwear

Karachi

$68 14.1%

Barnaul

$144 14.4% 112% $76

Eating Out

Karachi

$61 12.7%

Barnaul

$154 15.5% 153% $93

Sport & Entertainment

Karachi

$30 6.2%

Barnaul

$9.8 * 1% 67.2% $20

Getting Around

Karachi

$16 3.2%

Barnaul

$32 3.2% 104% $16

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Karachi and $444 in Barnaul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnaul pays 263% 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 $39.00 in Barnaul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $201 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Karachi

🇷🇺 Barnaul

🕒 Local time

12:38 12:38 PM

14:38 2:38 PM

2 h ahead of Karachi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,910,352

631,124

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Karachi Barnaul 3,460 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Karachi
Barnaul

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 Barnaul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi wins on cost – living expenses run 107% lower than in Barnaul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Karachi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 263% lower in Barnaul. 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 $444 in Barnaul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $482 per month in Karachi versus $999 in Barnaul – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 154% less than in Barnaul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Karachi 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.

Safety-wise, Karachi and Barnaul 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 107% less than in Barnaul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.