Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Cainta

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $718 in Cainta, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 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
35

Cost of Living Index in Cainta
Learn more

Cainta Living Index

Jump to prices

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$482

/mo nomad

Cainta

🇵🇭 Philippines

$718

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Cainta

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

A single person spends $482 per month in Karachi vs $718 in Cainta, rent included.

Karachi $482
Cainta $718

A couple spends around $750 per month in Karachi vs $1,128 in Cainta, rent included.

Karachi $750
Cainta $1,128

A family of three spends $1,018 per month in Karachi vs $1,538 in Cainta, rent included.

Karachi $1,018
Cainta $1,538

Karachi is about 33% cheaper than Cainta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Karachi and Cainta are more affordable than the global median – Karachi 64% lower, Cainta 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 588

$3.89 ₱245

-45.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.30 PKR 3,678

$16.70 ₱1,052

-20.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 PKR 1,507

$2.92 ₱184

86.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 607

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 PKR 2,004

Cappuccino

$2.09 PKR 579

$2.35 ₱148

-11.06%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

$1.17 ₱73.8

-65.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 71.1

$0.32 ₱20.45

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₱146

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 254

$1.63 ₱103

-43.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$1.12 ₱70.4

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 PKR 345

$0.96 ₱60.2

30.21%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 341

$2.22 ₱140

-44.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.67 PKR 1,569

$5.14 ₱324

10.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 PKR 875

$3.32 ₱209

-4.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.28 PKR 1,736

$7.07 ₱445

-11.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 348

$2.31 ₱146

-45.45%

Banana (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 147

$1.55 ₱97.7

-65.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 276

$2.36 ₱148

-57.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 154

$1.08 ₱68.0

-48.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.3

$1.76 ₱111

-81.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 95.1

$1.78 ₱112

-80.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 PKR 116

$0.67 ₱42.23

-37.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.49 ₱31.16

-10.20%

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 508

$2.88 ₱182

-36.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 ₱565

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₱60.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱126

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 77.0

$0.28 ₱17.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,763

$9.53 ₱600

4.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 256

$0.73 ₱45.70

26.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 193

$0.23 ₱14.55

204.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 PKR 596

$1.96 ₱124

10.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 PKR 382

$1.20 ₱75.5

15.00%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

-15.27%

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

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

37.94%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$123 ₱7,728

-7.53%

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

$5.95 PKR 1,647

$15.67 ₱987

-62.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.16 PKR 3,640

$23.22 ₱1,462

-43.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.55 PKR 5,962

$35.53 ₱2,238

-39.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.23 PKR 5,041

$5.27 ₱332

245.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,164

$5.16 ₱325

-18.41%

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

$52.2 PKR 14.4K

$135 ₱8,523

-61.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,940 PKR 536.7K

$8,941 ₱563.2K

-78.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.55 PKR 4,855

$29.42 ₱1,853

-40.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.51 PKR 6,502

$19.70 ₱1,241

19.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 PKR 19.1K

$70.5 ₱4,440

-2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.59 PKR 11.2K

$56.6 ₱3,566

-28.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.6K

$276 ₱17.4K

-57.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

$161 ₱10.2K

-54.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 PKR 98.9K

$492 ₱31.0K

-27.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.0K

$407 ₱25.6K

-53.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,060 PKR 293.2K

$2,684 ₱169.1K

-60.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$481 PKR 133.0K

$853 ₱53.7K

-43.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 PKR 50.6K

$436 ₱27.5K

-58.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

6.75

95.70%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cainta: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karachi

$133 27.5%

Cainta

$162 22.5% 21.9% $29

Groceries & Markets

Karachi

$101 21%

Cainta

$173 24.1% 71.2% $72

Accommodation & Living

Karachi

$74 15.3%

Cainta

$161 22.4% 119% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Karachi

$68 14.1%

Cainta

$79 11% 17.1% $12

Eating Out

Karachi

$61 12.7%

Cainta

$84 11.8% 38.2% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Karachi

$30 6.2%

Cainta

$46 6.4% 53% $16

Getting Around

Karachi

$16 3.2%

Cainta

$13 1.8% 19.1% $3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Karachi versus $276 in Cainta. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 138% higher in Cainta, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Karachi versus $17.00 in Cainta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $101 vs $173 – making Karachi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Karachi

🇵🇭 Cainta

🕒 Local time

23:51 11:51 PM

02:51 2:51 AM

3 h ahead of Karachi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,910,352

322,128

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Karachi Cainta 5,740 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Karachi
Cainta

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 Cainta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cainta is pricier by about 49%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $723 per month in Karachi and $1,077 in Cainta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karachi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Karachi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $52.2 per month in Karachi and $135 in Cainta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $482 in Karachi and $718 in Cainta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Karachi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Karachi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cainta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.