Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Dagupan

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $743 in Dagupan, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Karachi
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$482
/mo nomad
Dagupan
🇵🇭 Philippines
$743
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Dagupan

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

A single person spends $482 per month in Karachi vs $743 in Dagupan, rent included.

  • Karachi $482
  • Dagupan $743

A couple spends around $750 per month in Karachi vs $1,105 in Dagupan, rent included.

  • Karachi $750
  • Dagupan $1,105

A family of three spends $1,018 per month in Karachi vs $1,467 in Dagupan, rent included.

  • Karachi $1,018
  • Dagupan $1,467

Karachi is about 35% cheaper than Dagupan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Karachi and Dagupan are more affordable than the global median – Karachi 64% lower, Dagupan 45% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karachi
Dagupan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 PKR 588
$2.90 ₱183
-26.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.30 PKR 3,680
$11.98 ₱754
11.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.45 PKR 1,508
$4.50 ₱284
21.11%
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
$2.47 ₱156
-15.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 PKR 111
$0.50 ₱31.41
-20.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 PKR 71.1
$0.23 ₱14.46
13.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.17 ₱73.6
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.73 ₱172
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karachi
Dagupan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 PKR 254
$1.77 ₱112
-48.02%
White Bread (500g)
$0.56 PKR 156
$1.27 ₱80.2
-55.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.25 PKR 345
$0.89 ₱55.8
40.45%
Eggs
$1.23 PKR 341
$1.84 ₱116
-33.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.67 PKR 1,570
$5.69 ₱358
-0.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.16 PKR 876
$4.83 ₱304
-34.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.28 PKR 1,737
$6.85 ₱431
-8.32%
Apples (1kg)
$1.26 PKR 348
$3.97 ₱250
-68.26%
Banana (1kg)
$0.53 PKR 148
$2.00 ₱126
-73.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.00 PKR 276
$2.67 ₱168
-62.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.56 PKR 154
$1.13 ₱71.2
-50.44%
Potato (1kg)
$0.33 PKR 91.4
$2.88 ₱181
-88.54%
Onion (1kg)
$0.34 PKR 95.1
$3.48 ₱219
-90.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.42 PKR 116
$1.07 ₱67.2
-60.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 PKR 121
$0.57 ₱35.93
-22.81%
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
$2.45 ₱155
-24.90%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$5.53 ₱348
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.89 ₱56.2
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.87 ₱118
-
🚌 Getting Around
Karachi
Dagupan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 PKR 77.0
$0.20 ₱12.59
40.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.99 PKR 2,764
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.92 PKR 256
$0.66 ₱41.67
39.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.70 PKR 193
$0.23 ₱14.54
204.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.16 PKR 597
$1.88 ₱118
14.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 PKR 382
$1.14 ₱71.5
21.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9K PKR 5.0M
$21.2K ₱1.3M
-15.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K PKR 7.5M
$19.7K ₱1.2M
37.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karachi
Dagupan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$113 PKR 31.4K
$104 ₱6,560
8.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.95 PKR 1,648
$15.84 ₱997
-62.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.16 PKR 3,642
$25.82 ₱1,626
-49.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karachi
Dagupan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$21.55 PKR 5,965
$33.96 ₱2,138
-36.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.23 PKR 5,044
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.21 PKR 1,165
$5.13 ₱323
-17.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karachi
Dagupan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$52.2 PKR 14.4K
$786 ₱49.5K
-93.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,940 PKR 537.0K
$7,469 ₱470.3K
-74.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karachi
Dagupan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.55 PKR 4,858
$60.6 ₱3,814
-71.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.51 PKR 6,506
$7.86 ₱495
199.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.9 PKR 19.1K
$80.6 ₱5,075
-14.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.59 PKR 11.2K
$102 ₱6,411
-60.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karachi
Dagupan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$118 PKR 32.7K
$194 ₱12.2K
-39.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$73.6 PKR 20.4K
$159 ₱10.0K
-53.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$357 PKR 98.9K
$364 ₱22.9K
-1.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$188 PKR 52.0K
$271 ₱17.0K
-30.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,060 PKR 293.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$481 PKR 133.1K
$479 ₱30.2K
0.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karachi
Dagupan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$183 PKR 50.6K
$239 ₱15.0K
-23.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.21
7.5
76.13%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karachi
$133
Dagupan
$146 10% $13
Groceries & Markets
Karachi
$101
Dagupan
$197 94.9% $96
Accommodation & Living
Karachi
$74
Dagupan
$159 116% $85
Clothing & Footwear
Karachi
$68
Dagupan
$113 66.7% $45
Eating Out
Karachi
$61
Dagupan
$81 32% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Karachi
$30
Dagupan
$44 47.5% $14
Getting Around
Karachi
$16
Dagupan
$2.6 * 83.1% $13

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Karachi versus $194 in Dagupan. 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 30% higher in Dagupan, 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 $12.00 in Dagupan. Groceries tell a different story – $101 in Karachi vs $197 in Dagupan – so Karachi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Karachi
🇵🇭 Dagupan
🕒 Local time
23:03 11:03 PM
02:03 2:03 AM
3 h ahead of Karachi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
14,910,352
174,302
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Karachi Dagupan 5,610 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Karachi
  • Dagupan

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 Dagupan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dagupan cheaper than Karachi?
Yes – Dagupan is pricier by about 54%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $723 per month in Karachi and $1,114 in Dagupan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Karachi or in Dagupan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Karachi and $12.00 in Dagupan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Karachi and in Dagupan?
Groceries cost about 95% more in Dagupan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,200 enough for either Karachi or Dagupan?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $482 in Karachi and $743 in Dagupan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Karachi or Dagupan more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Karachi or Dagupan?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Karachi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dagupan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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