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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $477 per month in Karachi vs $358 in Chittagong, rent included.

A couple spends around $727 per month in Karachi vs $601 in Chittagong, rent included.

A family of three spends $978 per month in Karachi vs $844 in Chittagong, rent included.

Karachi costs about 33% more than Chittagong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Karachi and Chittagong are more affordable than the global median – Karachi 64% lower, Chittagong 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 PKR 595

$1.65 ৳203

29.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.44 PKR 3,461

$14.96 ৳1,835

-16.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 PKR 1,129

$7.20 ৳883

-43.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PKR 553

$5.88 ৳722

-66.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 PKR 1,451

$4.18 ৳512

24.88%

Cappuccino

$1.89 PKR 525

$1.63 ৳200

15.95%

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

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.36 ৳44.03

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.14 ৳16.60

64.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 PKR 231

$0.78 ৳95.7

6.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.57 ৳70.4

1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PKR 315

$0.65 ৳79.2

73.85%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.22 ৳149

-0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 PKR 1,749

$9.28 ৳1,139

-32.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 PKR 887

$1.60 ৳197

99.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.91 PKR 1,365

$7.25 ৳889

-32.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$2.24 ৳275

-54.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 162

$0.96 ৳118

-39.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 258

$2.10 ৳258

-55.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.80 ৳97.7

-30.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.45 ৳54.9

-13.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.89 ৳109

-42.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.41 ৳49.79

-7.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.25 ৳30.41

72.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 PKR 356

$8.59 ৳1,053

-85.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 PKR 351

$0.83 ৳102

51.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 PKR 580

$1.46 ৳179

42.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 PKR 580

$2.89 ৳354

-28.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 PKR 94.4

$0.16 ৳20.03

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.33 PKR 1,762

$4.12 ৳505

53.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.79 ৳97.1

-6.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 171

$0.43 ৳52.1

41.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 PKR 497

$2.50 ৳306

-28.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 256

$1.01 ৳123

-8.91%

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

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

$33.1K ৳4.1M

-50.38%

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

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

$34.3K ৳4.2M

-28.70%

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

$132 PKR 36.8K

$22.78 ৳2,794

480.77%

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

$4.90 PKR 1,362

$5.77 ৳708

-15.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.63 PKR 3,791

$13.20 ৳1,619

3.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.55 PKR 4,325

$15.43 ৳1,892

0.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.33 PKR 3,986

$11.26 ৳1,381

27.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 PKR 1,203

$3.35 ৳410

29.25%

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

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

$29.33 ৳3,597

97.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,402 PKR 389.9K

$1,343 ৳164.7K

4.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.73 PKR 4,932

$20.49 ৳2,513

-13.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 PKR 7,097

$18.22 ৳2,235

40.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

$52.0 ৳6,382

23.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.86 PKR 9,975

$33.34 ৳4,089

7.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 PKR 33.8K

$131 ৳16.0K

-6.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

$59.5 ৳7,294

24.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 PKR 89.8K

$243 ৳29.8K

33.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 PKR 50.6K

$148 ৳18.2K

22.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$985 PKR 273.9K

$805 ৳98.8K

22.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$457 PKR 127.2K

$462 ৳56.7K

-0.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 PKR 50.2K

$264 ৳32.4K

-31.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

11.67

52.53%

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

Last update for Karachi: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chittagong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $122 in Karachi versus $131 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 46% 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 $12.00 in Karachi versus $15.00 in Chittagong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $97.0 vs $116 – making Karachi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $477 in Karachi, $358 in Chittagong – roughly 33% apart. Karachi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $715 per month in Karachi and $537 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 $477 in Karachi and $358 in Chittagong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% 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 $477 in Karachi and $358 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.