Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Chittagong Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Chittagong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $457 per month in Karachi vs $370 in Chittagong, rent included.

A couple spends around $728 per month in Karachi vs $628 in Chittagong, rent included.

A family of three spends $999 per month in Karachi vs $887 in Chittagong, rent included.

Karachi costs about 24% more than Chittagong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Karachi and Chittagong are more affordable than the global median – Karachi 67% lower, Chittagong 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 PKR 612

$2.07 ৳254

6.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.33 PKR 3,976

$12.43 ৳1,523

15.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 PKR 1,463

$5.26 ৳645

0.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 PKR 594

$2.72 ৳333

-21.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 PKR 2,041

$4.17 ৳511

76.50%

Cappuccino

$2.20 PKR 610

$1.91 ৳234

15.18%

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

$0.33 PKR 92.4

$0.39 ৳48.00

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.4

$0.14 ৳17.15

64.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 248

$0.79 ৳97.1

12.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.56 ৳68.2

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 345

$0.66 ৳81.2

87.88%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 335

$1.12 ৳137

8.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.19 PKR 1,716

$7.33 ৳898

-15.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 PKR 841

$2.04 ৳250

48.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,696

$7.48 ৳917

-18.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 340

$2.38 ৳291

-48.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.84 ৳103

-34.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 PKR 272

$2.07 ৳254

-52.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 164

$0.85 ৳105

-30.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 95.2

$0.44 ৳53.7

-22.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.83 ৳102

-62.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 PKR 109

$0.49 ৳60.5

-20.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 121

$0.31 ৳37.68

38.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 347

$8.88 ৳1,088

-85.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 365

$0.78 ৳95.2

69.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 PKR 687

$1.43 ৳175

73.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 PKR 496

$3.02 ৳370

-40.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 77.6

$0.23 ৳28.24

21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 PKR 2,275

$4.03 ৳493

103.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.78 ৳95.0

-5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 195

$0.55 ৳67.5

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 PKR 609

$3.99 ৳489

-44.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 PKR 369

$1.10 ৳135

20.91%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$33.1K ৳4.1M

-45.49%

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

$27.6K PKR 7.6M

$45.0K ৳5.5M

-38.79%

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

$104 PKR 28.8K

$30.46 ৳3,733

240.71%

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

$5.88 PKR 1,631

$5.37 ৳658

9.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.86 PKR 3,567

$12.62 ৳1,546

1.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.32 PKR 5,637

$19.92 ৳2,440

2.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 PKR 5,177

$14.33 ৳1,756

30.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 PKR 1,222

$3.70 ৳453

18.92%

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

$50.4 PKR 14.0K

$35.85 ৳4,393

40.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,375 PKR 381.5K

$1,455 ৳178.2K

-5.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.81 PKR 4,109

$22.84 ৳2,798

-35.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.90 PKR 6,076

$19.75 ৳2,420

10.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 PKR 18.1K

$57.5 ৳7,043

13.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.81 PKR 9,933

$34.77 ৳4,260

2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 PKR 30.8K

$125 ৳15.3K

-10.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.9 PKR 19.7K

$60.1 ৳7,368

17.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 PKR 82.3K

$258 ৳31.6K

14.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 PKR 49.9K

$168 ৳20.5K

7.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$976 PKR 270.9K

$784 ৳96.0K

24.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$467 PKR 129.6K

$461 ৳56.5K

1.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.4K

$283 ৳34.6K

-35.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

11.5

12.00%

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

Last update for Karachi: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chittagong: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $111 in Karachi versus $125 in Chittagong. 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 55% higher in Chittagong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Karachi versus $12.00 in Chittagong. Groceries tell a different story – $101 in Karachi vs $113 in Chittagong – so Karachi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chittagong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $457 in Karachi, $370 in Chittagong – roughly 24% apart. Karachi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $685 per month in Karachi and $555 in Chittagong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $457 in Karachi and $370 in Chittagong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 103% less in Chittagong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $457 in Karachi and $370 in Chittagong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

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