Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Bintulu

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $490 a month against $849 in Bintulu, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Bintulu
Learn more

Bintulu Living Index

Jump to prices

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$490

/mo nomad

Bintulu

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$849

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Bintulu

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $490 in Karachi versus $849 in Bintulu.

Karachi $490
Bintulu $849

Estimated couple costs with rent: $755 in Karachi versus $1,312 in Bintulu.

Karachi $755
Bintulu $1,312

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,019 in Karachi versus $1,775 in Bintulu.

Karachi $1,019
Bintulu $1,775

Living in Karachi costs roughly 42% less than in Bintulu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 63% lower, Bintulu 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.15 PKR 596

$3.95 MYR 16.13

-45.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.37 PKR 3,700

$18.43 MYR 75.3

-27.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 PKR 1,464

$5.79 MYR 23.63

-8.64%

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

$2.99 MYR 12.20

-29.43%

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

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.63 MYR 2.59

-41.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 PKR 78.2

$0.38 MYR 1.54

-26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 MYR 12.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 21.12

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 PKR 238

$2.15 MYR 8.77

-60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 PKR 144

$1.37 MYR 5.59

-62.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 344

$1.32 MYR 5.41

-6.06%

Eggs

$1.24 PKR 342

$2.16 MYR 8.83

-42.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.86 PKR 1,622

$16.81 MYR 68.6

-65.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 862

$3.48 MYR 14.19

-10.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 PKR 1,731

$5.90 MYR 24.11

5.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 356

$1.76 MYR 7.19

-26.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$1.02 MYR 4.18

-47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 273

$1.76 MYR 7.17

-43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.13 MYR 4.60

-50.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.6

$0.51 MYR 2.08

-35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.9

$1.19 MYR 4.85

-70.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.69 MYR 2.84

-34.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.42 MYR 1.71

4.76%

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

$4.18 MYR 17.08

-57.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.74 MYR 80.6

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MYR 8.17

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 76.5

$1.20 MYR 4.91

-76.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.68 PKR 2,679

$16.62 MYR 67.9

-41.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 255

$1.02 MYR 4.18

-9.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 PKR 196

$0.83 MYR 3.39

-14.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 PKR 615

$2.50 MYR 10.21

-11.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PKR 372

$0.63 MYR 2.57

114.29%

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

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

$44.5K MYR 181.7K

-59.91%

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

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

$38.5K MYR 157.0K

-30.48%

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

$112 PKR 30.9K

$59.2 MYR 242

88.79%

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

$6.05 PKR 1,673

$31.51 MYR 129

-80.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.29 PKR 3,679

$29.98 MYR 122

-55.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.51 PKR 5,954

$66.4 MYR 271

-67.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.80 PKR 4,927

$12.43 MYR 50.8

43.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 PKR 1,222

$4.33 MYR 17.67

2.08%

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

$50.7 PKR 14.0K

$124 MYR 508

-59.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,957 PKR 541.6K

$7,230 MYR 29.5K

-72.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.57 PKR 4,862

$64.2 MYR 262

-72.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.78 PKR 6,304

$36.02 MYR 147

-36.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 PKR 18.7K

$80.5 MYR 329

-16.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.97 PKR 11.3K

$90.8 MYR 371

-54.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 PKR 32.5K

$220 MYR 898

-46.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.7 PKR 21.0K

$157 MYR 642

-51.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 PKR 101.1K

$485 MYR 1,979

-24.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 PKR 50.5K

$333 MYR 1,361

-45.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,054 PKR 291.6K

$1,730 MYR 7,062

-39.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$491 PKR 135.8K

$1,137 MYR 4,644

-56.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.2K

$598 MYR 2,441

-69.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

4.5

193.56%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 4, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karachi

$131 27.3%

Bintulu

$121 14.2% 7.9% $10

Groceries & Markets

Karachi

$101 20.9%

Bintulu

$232 27.4% 131% $132

Accommodation & Living

Karachi

$76 15.7%

Bintulu

$157 18.5% 108% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Karachi

$67 13.9%

Bintulu

$122 14.4% 82.4% $55

Eating Out

Karachi

$61 12.7%

Bintulu

$114 13.5% 87.2% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Karachi

$30 6.3%

Bintulu

$75 8.9% 147% $45

Getting Around

Karachi

$15 3.2%

Bintulu

$27 3.1% 74.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Karachi and $220 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 223% 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 Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $232 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Karachi

🇲🇾 Bintulu

🕒 Local time

15:11 3:11 PM

18:11 6:11 PM

3 h ahead of Karachi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,910,352

240,172

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.219 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

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).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.58 MYR (1 MYR = 0.219 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Karachi Bintulu 5,480 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Karachi
Bintulu

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 Bintulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Bintulu. 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 223% lower in Bintulu. 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: $117 in Karachi versus $220 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $490 per month in Karachi versus $849 in Bintulu – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 72% less than in Bintulu. 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 Bintulu 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 73% less than in Bintulu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.