Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Battambang

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $490 a month against $650 in Battambang, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. The total is higher in Battambang despite lower rent and utilities.

Karachi
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$490
/mo nomad
Battambang
🇰🇭 Cambodia
$650
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Battambang

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $490 in Karachi versus $650 in Battambang.

  • Karachi $490
  • Battambang $650

Estimated couple costs with rent: $755 in Karachi versus $1,040 in Battambang.

  • Karachi $755
  • Battambang $1,040

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,019 in Karachi versus $1,429 in Battambang.

  • Karachi $1,019
  • Battambang $1,429

Living in Karachi costs roughly 25% less than in Battambang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 63% lower, Battambang 51% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karachi
Battambang
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.15 PKR 596
$2.44 ៛9,904
-11.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.37 PKR 3,700
$17.77 ៛72.1K
-24.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.29 PKR 1,464
$6.19 ៛25.1K
-14.54%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 PKR 606
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.25 PKR 2,005
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.11 PKR 583
$1.35 ៛5,464
56.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 PKR 103
$0.68 ៛2,748
-45.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 PKR 78.2
$0.52 ៛2,115
-46.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.84 ៛3,423
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.30 ៛9,335
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karachi
Battambang
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.86 PKR 238
$2.20 ៛8,929
-60.91%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 PKR 144
$1.02 ៛4,129
-49.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.24 PKR 344
$0.99 ៛4,011
25.25%
Eggs
$1.24 PKR 342
$1.68 ៛6,818
-26.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.86 PKR 1,622
$14.88 ៛60.3K
-60.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 PKR 862
$2.44 ៛9,885
27.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.25 PKR 1,731
$9.26 ៛37.6K
-32.51%
Apples (1kg)
$1.29 PKR 356
$3.96 ៛16.1K
-67.42%
Banana (1kg)
$0.54 PKR 150
$1.28 ៛5,202
-57.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.99 PKR 273
$4.19 ៛17.0K
-76.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.56 PKR 155
$2.18 ៛8,860
-74.31%
Potato (1kg)
$0.33 PKR 91.6
$1.57 ៛6,358
-78.98%
Onion (1kg)
$0.35 PKR 95.9
$1.15 ៛4,661
-69.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.45 PKR 124
$0.73 ៛2,951
-38.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 PKR 121
$0.74 ៛2,996
-40.54%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.23 PKR 341
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 PKR 381
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 PKR 676
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.79 PKR 497
$1.87 ៛7,582
-4.28%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$11.16 ៛45.3K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.60 ៛2,442
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.98 ៛3,987
-
🚌 Getting Around
Karachi
Battambang
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 PKR 76.5
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.68 PKR 2,679
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.92 PKR 255
$0.90 ៛3,657
2.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.71 PKR 196
$0.89 ៛3,622
-20.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.22 PKR 615
$4.87 ៛19.8K
-54.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 PKR 372
$1.25 ៛5,063
8.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.8K PKR 4.9M
$34.8K ៛141.2M
-48.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K PKR 7.4M
$34.1K ៛138.2M
-21.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karachi
Battambang
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$112 PKR 30.9K
$63.7 ៛258.4K
75.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.05 PKR 1,673
$2.77 ៛11.2K
118.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.29 PKR 3,679
$24.60 ៛99.8K
-45.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karachi
Battambang
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$21.51 PKR 5,954
$22.59 ៛91.6K
-4.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.80 PKR 4,927
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.42 PKR 1,222
$4.89 ៛19.8K
-9.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karachi
Battambang
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$50.7 PKR 14.0K
$91.1 ៛369.3K
-44.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,957 PKR 541.6K
$3,931 ៛15.9M
-50.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karachi
Battambang
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.57 PKR 4,862
$20.04 ៛81.3K
-12.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.78 PKR 6,304
$24.47 ៛99.3K
-6.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.6 PKR 18.7K
$92.2 ៛373.9K
-26.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.97 PKR 11.3K
$44.66 ៛181.1K
-8.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karachi
Battambang
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$117 PKR 32.5K
$221 ៛894.9K
-46.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$75.7 PKR 21.0K
$151 ៛613.7K
-49.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$365 PKR 101.1K
$433 ៛1.8M
-15.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$182 PKR 50.5K
$327 ៛1.3M
-44.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,054 PKR 291.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$491 PKR 135.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karachi
Battambang
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$185 PKR 51.2K
$199 ៛807.6K
-7.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.21
7.25
82.21%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 4, 2026

Last update for Battambang: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karachi
$131
Battambang
$91 30.5% $40
Groceries & Markets
Karachi
$101
Battambang
$229 127% $128
Accommodation & Living
Karachi
$76
Battambang
$151 99.9% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Karachi
$67
Battambang
$82 21.8% $15
Eating Out
Karachi
$61
Battambang
$68 11.3% $6.9
Sport & Entertainment
Karachi
$30
Battambang
$32 6.6% $2
Getting Around
Karachi
$15
Battambang
$5.4 * 64.8% $9.9

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 $117 in Karachi and $221 in Battambang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Battambang pays 8% 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 $18.00 in Battambang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $229 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Karachi
🇰🇭 Battambang
🕒 Local time
12:17 12:17 PM
14:17 2:17 PM
2 h ahead of Karachi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
14,910,352
196,709
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KHR, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 310 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

Cambodian Riel exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4,056 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.47 USD). 1 EUR = 4,549 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Karachi Battambang 4,010 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Karachi
  • Battambang

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 Battambang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Karachi or Battambang?
Karachi wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Battambang. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Karachi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Karachi or in Battambang?
On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Battambang. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Karachi compared to Battambang?
Rent for a central apartment: $117 in Karachi versus $221 in Battambang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Karachi and in Battambang?
Childcare runs $50.7 in Karachi versus $91.1 in Battambang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Karachi and in Battambang?
Dining out is cheaper in Karachi – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $18.00 in Battambang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Karachi or in Battambang?
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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Karachi or Battambang?
Both work as nomad bases, but Karachi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $490 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Karachi hard to pass up.
How safe is Karachi compared to Battambang?
Safety-wise, Karachi and Battambang are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Battambang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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