Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Gujranwala Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Gujranwala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $476 per month in Karachi vs $365 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A couple spends around $732 per month in Karachi vs $551 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A family of three spends $988 per month in Karachi vs $738 in Gujranwala, rent included.

Karachi costs about 30% more than Gujranwala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 PKR 587

$0.51 PKR 141

313.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.18 PKR 3,396

$13.91 PKR 3,878

-12.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.21 PKR 1,174

$5.35 PKR 1,493

-21.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 PKR 536

$0.85 PKR 236

125.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 PKR 1,496

$3.79 PKR 1,056

41.69%

Cappuccino

$1.81 PKR 504

$1.37 PKR 381

32.12%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.2

$0.22 PKR 61.5

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.4

$0.14 PKR 38.44

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 PKR 235

$0.71 PKR 197

18.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 152

$0.65 PKR 182

-16.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PKR 315

$1.14 PKR 318

-0.88%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 324

$1.13 PKR 315

2.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.36 PKR 1,772

$6.25 PKR 1,741

1.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 PKR 887

$2.46 PKR 685

29.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 PKR 1,429

$4.04 PKR 1,127

26.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 292

$1.00 PKR 280

5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 163

$0.66 PKR 183

-12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.95 PKR 265

-1.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 157

$0.49 PKR 137

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.46 PKR 127

2.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 99.7

$0.33 PKR 93.0

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 121

$0.37 PKR 104

16.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.41 PKR 392

$1.75 PKR 487

-19.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 PKR 363

$0.86 PKR 239

51.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 571

$2.05 PKR 573

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 PKR 608

$2.02 PKR 564

7.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 PKR 102

$0.18 PKR 49.95

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.54 PKR 1,823

$7.10 PKR 1,979

-7.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 206

$0.55 PKR 153

34.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 PKR 174

$0.41 PKR 113

51.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 PKR 490

$1.39 PKR 387

26.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 263

$0.93 PKR 260

1.08%

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

$16.3K PKR 4.6M

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

-21.99%

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

$25.0K PKR 7.0M

$14.0K PKR 3.9M

78.17%

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

$137 PKR 38.3K

$113 PKR 31.6K

21.13%

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

$4.99 PKR 1,390

$3.46 PKR 964

44.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.58 PKR 3,787

$16.77 PKR 4,675

-19.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.81 PKR 4,408

$4.85 PKR 1,353

225.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.27 PKR 3,978

$2.87 PKR 800

397.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,195

$3.33 PKR 929

28.83%

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

$58.8 PKR 16.4K

$16.83 PKR 4,692

249.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,373 PKR 382.8K

$848 PKR 236.3K

62.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.85 PKR 4,976

$12.60 PKR 3,513

41.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.82 PKR 7,197

$24.36 PKR 6,789

5.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 PKR 18.1K

$87.0 PKR 24.2K

-25.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.34 PKR 10.1K

$20.90 PKR 5,827

73.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 PKR 33.6K

$54.8 PKR 15.3K

119.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

$19.19 PKR 5,351

291.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 PKR 89.5K

$115 PKR 32.1K

179.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 PKR 50.9K

$56.8 PKR 15.8K

221.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$751 PKR 209.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$465 PKR 129.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 PKR 46.6K

$229 PKR 63.8K

-26.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

20.2

-11.88%

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

Last update for Karachi: April 28, 2026

Last update for Gujranwala: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $120 in Karachi versus $54.8 in Gujranwala. 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 37% higher in Gujranwala, 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 $14.00 in Gujranwala. Groceries tell a different story – $97.0 in Karachi vs $89.0 in Gujranwala – so Gujranwala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Gujranwala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $476 in Karachi, $365 in Gujranwala – roughly 30% apart. Karachi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $714 per month in Karachi and $547 in Gujranwala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gujranwala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Karachi and $14.00 in Gujranwala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $476 in Karachi and $365 in Gujranwala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $476 in Karachi and $365 in Gujranwala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Gujranwala – 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 Gujranwala. 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.