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: $482 in Karachi versus $302 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $737 in Karachi versus $466 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $992 in Karachi versus $631 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Living in Karachi is roughly 60% more expensive than Dera Ghazi Khan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 64% lower, Dera Ghazi Khan 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 PKR 578

$1.18 PKR 329

76.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.44 PKR 3,458

$10.76 PKR 2,991

15.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 PKR 1,131

$2.42 PKR 672

68.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 PKR 557

$1.07 PKR 299

86.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 PKR 1,506

$1.75 PKR 487

209.71%

Cappuccino

$1.88 PKR 524

$1.45 PKR 403

29.66%

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

$0.34 PKR 93.2

$0.31 PKR 86.1

9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.22 PKR 61.0

4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 PKR 223

$0.76 PKR 211

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.46 PKR 127

17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 312

$1.25 PKR 348

-10.40%

Eggs

$1.18 PKR 328

$1.19 PKR 332

-0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.61 PKR 1,838

$2.69 PKR 747

145.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 PKR 886

$1.90 PKR 528

67.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 PKR 1,408

$3.14 PKR 874

61.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 291

$0.98 PKR 273

7.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.54 PKR 151

3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 PKR 247

$0.64 PKR 177

39.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.52 PKR 145

9.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.7

$0.37 PKR 103

-5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 130

$0.40 PKR 110

17.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 PKR 98.0

$0.64 PKR 178

-45.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.36 PKR 101

13.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.27 PKR 354

$0.96 PKR 267

32.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 366

$0.86 PKR 240

53.49%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 568

$1.99 PKR 553

2.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 PKR 586

$1.78 PKR 496

18.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.18 PKR 51.2

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.24 PKR 1,734

$7.24 PKR 2,012

-13.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 203

$1.03 PKR 287

-29.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 171

$0.33 PKR 93.1

84.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 487

$1.80 PKR 500

-2.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 PKR 245

$0.91 PKR 252

-3.30%

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

$16.6K PKR 4.6M

$21.7K PKR 6.0M

-23.68%

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

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

13.95%

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

$133 PKR 36.9K

$57.6 PKR 16.0K

130.73%

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

$5.11 PKR 1,419

$2.23 PKR 621

129.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.67 PKR 3,801

$13.06 PKR 3,631

4.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.52 PKR 4,315

$12.23 PKR 3,401

26.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 PKR 4,018

$6.02 PKR 1,674

140.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,172

$3.47 PKR 965

21.33%

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

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

$28.82 PKR 8,012

101.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,384 PKR 384.8K

$1,154 PKR 320.9K

19.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.48 PKR 4,859

$16.07 PKR 4,467

8.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.97 PKR 6,943

$22.01 PKR 6,120

13.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.6 PKR 18.0K

$61.0 PKR 17.0K

5.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.19 PKR 10.1K

$25.99 PKR 7,227

39.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 PKR 32.6K

$57.0 PKR 15.8K

106.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.8 PKR 20.5K

$29.78 PKR 8,280

147.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 PKR 86.7K

$118 PKR 32.7K

165.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 PKR 50.5K

$68.0 PKR 18.9K

167.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$929 PKR 258.2K

$870 PKR 242.0K

6.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$437 PKR 121.4K

$488 PKR 135.7K

-10.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$176 PKR 48.9K

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: June 16, 2026

Last update for Dera Ghazi Khan: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Karachi and $57.0 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Karachi vs $11.00 in Dera Ghazi Khan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97.0 vs $71.0 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 60% in total monthly costs ($482 vs $302 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 $723 in Karachi and $453 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: $117 in Karachi versus $57.0 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 16% less than in Karachi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $58.0 in Karachi versus $28.82 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 60% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.