Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and El Nido

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $483 a month against $739 in El Nido, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in El Nido
Learn more

El Nido Living Index

Jump to prices

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$483

/mo nomad

El Nido

🇵🇭 Philippines

$739

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in El Nido

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

A single person spends $483 per month in Karachi vs $739 in El Nido, rent included.

Karachi $483
El Nido $739

A couple spends around $754 per month in Karachi vs $1,148 in El Nido, rent included.

Karachi $754
El Nido $1,148

A family of three spends $1,025 per month in Karachi vs $1,557 in El Nido, rent included.

Karachi $1,025
El Nido $1,557

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 PKR 585

$4.84 ₱305

-56.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.73 PKR 3,801

$28.13 ₱1,771

-51.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PKR 1,531

$3.70 ₱233

49.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 PKR 609

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 PKR 2,040

Cappuccino

$2.14 PKR 593

$2.25 ₱142

-4.89%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

$1.17 ₱73.8

-65.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 PKR 77.7

$0.32 ₱20.45

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₱81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱125

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 250

$1.59 ₱100

-43.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 153

$1.00 ₱63.1

-45.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 333

$1.29 ₱81.4

-6.98%

Eggs

$1.25 PKR 346

$1.95 ₱123

-35.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.96 PKR 1,650

$5.33 ₱336

11.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 PKR 883

$3.98 ₱250

-19.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.48 PKR 1,793

$6.98 ₱439

-7.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 344

$2.25 ₱142

-44.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 147

$1.54 ₱97.1

-65.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 284

$2.26 ₱142

-54.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$1.16 ₱72.8

-56.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 85.1

$1.95 ₱123

-84.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 87.1

$2.01 ₱127

-84.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.92 ₱58.0

-55.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 120

$0.53 ₱33.65

-16.98%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.31 PKR 362

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 369

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PKR 670

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 PKR 508

$3.35 ₱211

-45.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 ₱456

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₱62.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₱118

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 76.8

$0.24 ₱15.07

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.81 PKR 2,716

$10.28 ₱648

-4.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 PKR 240

$0.85 ₱53.8

2.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 204

$0.20 ₱12.47

270.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 PKR 617

$1.72 ₱108

29.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 PKR 383

$1.31 ₱82.3

5.34%

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

$18.4K PKR 5.1M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

-4.33%

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

$26.4K PKR 7.3M

$21.6K ₱1.4M

22.45%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$121 ₱7,638

-6.62%

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

$6.12 PKR 1,694

$14.38 ₱906

-57.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.11 PKR 3,628

$24.44 ₱1,539

-46.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.78 PKR 6,029

$34.90 ₱2,197

-37.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.27 PKR 5,058

$3.99 ₱251

357.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,179

$5.23 ₱329

-18.55%

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

$52.1 PKR 14.4K

$124 ₱7,818

-58.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,941 PKR 537.3K

$6,869 ₱432.4K

-71.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.53 PKR 4,852

$33.86 ₱2,132

-48.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.88 PKR 6,332

$18.81 ₱1,185

21.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 PKR 18.8K

$66.9 ₱4,211

1.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.55 PKR 11.5K

$49.95 ₱3,145

-16.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.5K

$269 ₱17.0K

-56.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.2 PKR 20.3K

$177 ₱11.2K

-58.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 PKR 99.6K

$535 ₱33.7K

-32.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.1K

$358 ₱22.5K

-47.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,082 PKR 299.4K

$2,607 ₱164.1K

-58.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$474 PKR 131.2K

$900 ₱56.7K

-47.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.4K

$257 ₱16.2K

-29.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

6.79

94.55%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 17, 2026

Last update for El Nido: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karachi

$133 27.4%

El Nido

$160 21.7% 20.9% $28

Groceries & Markets

Karachi

$102 21.1%

El Nido

$174 23.6% 70.6% $72

Accommodation & Living

Karachi

$73 15.2%

El Nido

$177 24% 142% $104

Clothing & Footwear

Karachi

$68 14%

El Nido

$76 10.3% 13% $8.8

Eating Out

Karachi

$62 12.8%

El Nido

$93 12.6% 50.6% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Karachi

$30 6.3%

El Nido

$45 6.1% 49.7% $15

Getting Around

Karachi

$15 3.2%

El Nido

$13 1.8% 15.4% $2.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Karachi versus $269 in El Nido. 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 41% higher in El Nido, 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 $14.00 in Karachi versus $28.00 in El Nido. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $102 vs $174 – making Karachi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Karachi

🇵🇭 El Nido

🕒 Local time

21:55 9:55 PM

00:55 12:55 AM

3 h ahead of Karachi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,910,352

50,494

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Karachi El Nido 5,710 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Karachi
El Nido

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 El Nido: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $483 in Karachi, $739 in El Nido – roughly 53% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $725 per month in Karachi and $1,109 in El Nido. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Karachi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $52.1 per month in Karachi and $124 in El Nido. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $483 in Karachi and $739 in El Nido, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.

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.

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