Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Cheras

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $1,130 in Cheras, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 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
55

Cost of Living Index in Cheras
Learn more

Cheras Living Index

Jump to prices

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$482

/mo nomad

Cheras

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,130

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Cheras

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

A single person spends $482 per month in Karachi vs $1,130 in Cheras, rent included.

Karachi $482
Cheras $1,130

A couple spends around $750 per month in Karachi vs $1,541 in Cheras, rent included.

Karachi $750
Cheras $1,541

A family of three spends $1,018 per month in Karachi vs $1,952 in Cheras, rent included.

Karachi $1,018
Cheras $1,952

Karachi is about 57% cheaper than Cheras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Karachi and Cheras are more affordable than the global median – Karachi 64% lower, Cheras 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 588

$3.58 MYR 14.62

-40.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.30 PKR 3,680

$24.28 MYR 99.1

-45.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 PKR 1,508

$4.80 MYR 19.57

13.54%

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

$3.08 MYR 12.55

-32.14%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.93 MYR 3.79

-56.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 71.1

$0.60 MYR 2.44

-56.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 MYR 17.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.25 MYR 25.50

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 254

$1.93 MYR 7.88

-52.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$1.02 MYR 4.18

-45.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 PKR 345

$1.44 MYR 5.89

-13.19%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 341

$1.77 MYR 7.23

-30.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.67 PKR 1,570

$17.85 MYR 72.8

-68.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 PKR 876

$4.56 MYR 18.60

-30.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.28 PKR 1,737

$10.81 MYR 44.09

-41.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 348

$3.55 MYR 14.50

-64.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 148

$1.94 MYR 7.91

-72.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 276

$2.63 MYR 10.73

-61.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 154

$1.67 MYR 6.80

-66.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.4

$2.08 MYR 8.48

-84.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 95.1

$1.65 MYR 6.72

-79.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 PKR 116

$1.38 MYR 5.63

-69.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.51 MYR 2.07

-13.73%

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

$4.24 MYR 17.30

-56.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 MYR 56.6

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 11.30

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MYR 12.83

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 77.0

$0.70 MYR 2.87

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,764

$12.03 MYR 49.08

-16.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 256

$1.01 MYR 4.13

-8.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 193

$0.35 MYR 1.44

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 PKR 597

$8.96 MYR 36.57

-75.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 PKR 382

$0.88 MYR 3.58

56.82%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$40.9K MYR 167.0K

-56.28%

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

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

$34.0K MYR 138.7K

-20.34%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$49.67 MYR 203

128.41%

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

$5.95 PKR 1,648

$11.06 MYR 45.10

-46.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.16 PKR 3,642

$27.31 MYR 111

-51.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.55 PKR 5,965

$39.42 MYR 161

-45.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.23 PKR 5,044

$7.14 MYR 29.13

155.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,165

$4.99 MYR 20.36

-15.63%

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

$52.2 PKR 14.4K

$164 MYR 667

-68.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,940 PKR 537.0K

$4,451 MYR 18.2K

-56.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.55 PKR 4,858

$54.3 MYR 221

-67.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.51 PKR 6,506

$29.39 MYR 120

-20.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 PKR 19.1K

$81.5 MYR 332

-15.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.59 PKR 11.2K

$98.6 MYR 402

-58.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.7K

$409 MYR 1,669

-71.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

$467 MYR 1,906

-84.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 PKR 98.9K

$687 MYR 2,803

-47.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.0K

$485 MYR 1,977

-61.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,060 PKR 293.4K

$2,052 MYR 8,372

-48.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$481 PKR 133.1K

$1,103 MYR 4,501

-56.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 PKR 50.6K

$1,189 MYR 4,851

-84.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

4.06

225.37%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cheras: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karachi

$133 27.5%

Cheras

$88 7.8% 33.6% $45

Groceries & Markets

Karachi

$101 21%

Cheras

$268 23.8% 165% $167

Accommodation & Living

Karachi

$74 15.3%

Cheras

$467 41.4% 535% $394

Clothing & Footwear

Karachi

$68 14.1%

Cheras

$119 10.5% 75.2% $51

Eating Out

Karachi

$61 12.7%

Cheras

$120 10.7% 97% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Karachi

$30 6.2%

Cheras

$49 4.4% 64.8% $19

Getting Around

Karachi

$16 3.2%

Cheras

$18 1.6% 13.5% $2.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Karachi versus $409 in Cheras. 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 550% higher in Cheras, 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 $24.00 in Cheras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $101 vs $268 – making Karachi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Karachi

🇲🇾 Cheras

🕒 Local time

08:21 8:21 AM

11:21 11:21 AM

3 h ahead of Karachi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,910,352

440,000

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Karachi Cheras 4,430 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Karachi
Cheras

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 Cheras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cheras is pricier by about 135%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $723 per month in Karachi and $1,695 in Cheras. 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.

Groceries cost about 165% more in Cheras, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Karachi and $24.00 in Cheras. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Karachi, where all-in costs run around $482, than in Cheras at $1,130. In Karachi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheras it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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, Cheras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.