Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Bortala

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $495 a month against $758 in Bortala, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Bortala
Learn more

Bortala Living Index

Jump to prices

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$495

/mo nomad

Bortala

🇨🇳 China

$758

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Bortala

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $495 in Karachi versus $758 in Bortala.

Karachi $495
Bortala $758

Estimated couple costs with rent: $770 in Karachi versus $1,168 in Bortala.

Karachi $770
Bortala $1,168

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,046 in Karachi versus $1,577 in Bortala.

Karachi $1,046
Bortala $1,577

Living in Karachi costs roughly 35% less than in Bortala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 64% lower, Bortala 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.21 PKR 610

$2.99 ¥19.88

-26.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.87 PKR 3,562

$22.84 ¥152

-43.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 PKR 1,459

$4.86 ¥32.33

8.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PKR 598

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 PKR 2,036

Cappuccino

$2.16 PKR 598

$2.79 ¥18.54

-22.58%

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

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.48 ¥3.18

-20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.3

$0.32 ¥2.10

-21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 ¥7.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ¥14.35

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 248

$1.87 ¥12.46

-51.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 PKR 143

$1.59 ¥10.58

-67.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 331

$0.95 ¥6.30

26.32%

Eggs

$1.25 PKR 346

$1.60 ¥10.68

-21.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.82 PKR 1,611

$13.42 ¥89.3

-56.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 PKR 860

$3.36 ¥22.38

-7.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.53 PKR 1,807

$11.29 ¥75.1

-42.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 354

$1.89 ¥12.55

-32.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$1.34 ¥8.89

-59.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.51 ¥10.02

-32.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.26 ¥8.36

-55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$0.75 ¥4.99

-54.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 87.0

$0.98 ¥6.50

-68.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.59 ¥3.95

-30.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.59 ¥3.90

-27.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 PKR 355

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 368

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 PKR 678

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 PKR 492

$3.71 ¥24.71

-52.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.52 ¥76.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥5.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 77.2

$0.28 ¥1.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 PKR 3,237

$15.99 ¥106

-26.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 254

$1.57 ¥10.47

-41.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.32 ¥2.15

128.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 PKR 615

$7.15 ¥47.60

-68.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 PKR 369

$1.17 ¥7.81

13.68%

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

$18.3K PKR 5.1M

$19.4K ¥129.1K

-5.91%

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

$26.4K PKR 7.3M

$15.2K ¥101.0K

73.90%

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

$112 PKR 31.0K

$57.1 ¥380

96.38%

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

$5.99 PKR 1,656

$8.48 ¥56.5

-29.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.18 PKR 3,648

$11.13 ¥74.1

18.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.67 PKR 6,826

$41.95 ¥279

-41.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.29 PKR 5,061

$14.98 ¥99.7

22.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,201

$6.53 ¥43.43

-33.54%

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

$67.2 PKR 18.6K

$453 ¥3,016

-85.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,915 PKR 529.9K

$19.3K ¥128.6K

-90.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.61 PKR 4,873

$42.79 ¥285

-58.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.03 PKR 6,097

$30.92 ¥206

-28.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.3 PKR 18.9K

$75.6 ¥503

-9.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.66 PKR 11.3K

$68.3 ¥455

-40.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 PKR 37.6K

$291 ¥1,934

-53.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.2 PKR 22.7K

$214 ¥1,421

-61.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 PKR 108.5K

$582 ¥3,874

-32.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 PKR 57.2K

$343 ¥2,283

-39.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,046 PKR 289.5K

$3,687 ¥24.5K

-71.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$482 PKR 133.2K

$1,825 ¥12.1K

-73.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 PKR 51.0K

$625 ¥4,161

-70.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

3.36

293.15%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bortala: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karachi

$131 26.6%

Bortala

$77 10.1% 41.6% $55

Groceries & Markets

Karachi

$102 20.5%

Bortala

$210 27.7% 107% $108

Accommodation & Living

Karachi

$82 16.6%

Bortala

$214 28.2% 160% $131

Clothing & Footwear

Karachi

$67 13.5%

Bortala

$98 12.9% 46.4% $31

Eating Out

Karachi

$62 12.5%

Bortala

$85 11.2% 37.1% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Karachi

$33 6.7%

Bortala

$55 7.3% 64.9% $22

Getting Around

Karachi

$17 3.5%

Bortala

$20 2.7% 16.7% $2.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $136 in Karachi and $291 in Bortala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bortala pays about 3.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $13 in Karachi vs $23 in Bortala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $102 vs $210 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Karachi

🇨🇳 Bortala

🕒 Local time

20:19 8:19 PM

23:19 11:19 PM

3 h ahead of Karachi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,910,352

246,706

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.25 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.135 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 308 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.25 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.41 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Karachi Bortala 2,600 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Karachi
Bortala

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 Bortala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Bortala. 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 71% lower in Karachi. 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: $136 in Karachi versus $291 in Bortala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $495 per month in Karachi versus $758 in Bortala – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 27% less than in Bortala. 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.

Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Bortala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.