Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Dera Ghazi Khan Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Dera Ghazi Khan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $476 in Karachi versus $293 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $732 in Karachi versus $458 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $988 in Karachi versus $623 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Living in Karachi is roughly 63% more expensive than Dera Ghazi Khan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 64% lower, Dera Ghazi Khan 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 PKR 588

$1.14 PKR 318

85.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.18 PKR 3,400

$10.47 PKR 2,922

16.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.21 PKR 1,176

$2.45 PKR 684

71.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 PKR 537

$1.08 PKR 303

77.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 PKR 1,498

$1.82 PKR 508

195.05%

Cappuccino

$1.81 PKR 504

$1.50 PKR 419

20.67%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.3

$0.31 PKR 85.2

9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.5

$0.22 PKR 61.4

-4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 PKR 235

$0.76 PKR 212

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 152

$0.42 PKR 118

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PKR 316

$1.23 PKR 343

-8.13%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 324

$1.19 PKR 333

-2.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.36 PKR 1,774

$2.67 PKR 746

138.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 PKR 889

$1.91 PKR 533

66.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 PKR 1,431

$3.11 PKR 869

64.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 293

$1.03 PKR 287

1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 163

$0.55 PKR 152

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.59 PKR 166

59.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 157

$0.52 PKR 146

7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.34 PKR 95.8

14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.39 PKR 110

20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 99.8

$0.59 PKR 164

-38.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 121

$0.36 PKR 101

19.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.41 PKR 393

$1.46 PKR 408

-3.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 PKR 363

$0.93 PKR 260

39.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 572

$1.98 PKR 552

3.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 PKR 609

$1.80 PKR 503

21.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 PKR 102

$0.19 PKR 53.1

89.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.54 PKR 1,825

$7.12 PKR 1,988

-8.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 207

$1.03 PKR 288

-28.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 PKR 174

$0.31 PKR 85.6

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 PKR 491

$1.74 PKR 485

1.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 264

$0.96 PKR 269

-2.08%

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

$16.3K PKR 4.6M

$21.7K PKR 6.1M

-24.81%

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

$25.0K PKR 7.0M

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

20.14%

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

$137 PKR 38.3K

$59.0 PKR 16.5K

132.68%

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

$4.99 PKR 1,392

$2.26 PKR 631

120.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.58 PKR 3,792

$13.04 PKR 3,639

4.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.81 PKR 4,413

$12.39 PKR 3,459

27.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.27 PKR 3,983

$5.84 PKR 1,630

144.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,197

$3.55 PKR 992

20.85%

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

$58.8 PKR 16.4K

$28.44 PKR 7,939

106.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,373 PKR 383.3K

$1,139 PKR 317.9K

20.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.85 PKR 4,982

$16.17 PKR 4,513

10.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.82 PKR 7,206

$22.18 PKR 6,192

16.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 PKR 18.1K

$59.8 PKR 16.7K

8.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.34 PKR 10.1K

$25.80 PKR 7,202

40.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 PKR 33.6K

$55.8 PKR 15.6K

115.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.1 PKR 21.0K

$30.29 PKR 8,455

147.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 PKR 89.6K

$116 PKR 32.4K

176.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 PKR 50.9K

$68.1 PKR 19.0K

168.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$751 PKR 209.5K

$805 PKR 224.8K

-6.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$465 PKR 129.9K

$564 PKR 157.4K

-17.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 PKR 46.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

-1.11%

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

Last update for Karachi: April 28, 2026

Last update for Dera Ghazi Khan: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $120 in Karachi and $55.8 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Karachi vs $10.00 in Dera Ghazi Khan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97.0 vs $70.0 per month, with Dera Ghazi Khan cheaper across the board.

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 Dera Ghazi Khan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi and Dera Ghazi Khan differ by about 63% in total monthly costs ($476 vs $293 including rent). Dera Ghazi Khan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $714 in Karachi and $439 in Dera Ghazi Khan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $120 in Karachi versus $55.8 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dera Ghazi Khan runs roughly 9% less than in Karachi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $58.8 in Karachi versus $28.44 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Dera Ghazi Khan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Dera Ghazi Khan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.