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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $483 per month in Karachi vs $372 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A couple spends around $731 per month in Karachi vs $559 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A family of three spends $979 per month in Karachi vs $746 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 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 572

$0.54 PKR 150

281.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.15 PKR 3,373

$13.92 PKR 3,863

-12.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 PKR 1,111

$5.40 PKR 1,498

-25.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 PKR 533

$0.87 PKR 240

120.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 PKR 1,478

$3.91 PKR 1,085

36.32%

Cappuccino

$1.85 PKR 513

$1.31 PKR 365

41.22%

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

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$0.20 PKR 55.5

65.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.17 PKR 48.30

35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 PKR 232

$0.75 PKR 209

12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 PKR 162

$0.65 PKR 182

-10.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 310

$1.09 PKR 302

2.75%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 325

$1.15 PKR 318

1.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 PKR 1,744

$6.24 PKR 1,731

0.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 PKR 884

$2.56 PKR 711

24.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.03 PKR 1,396

$4.08 PKR 1,133

23.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 291

$1.03 PKR 287

1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 165

$0.60 PKR 166

-1.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 256

$0.95 PKR 262

-3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.48 PKR 134

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$0.35 PKR 97.9

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 130

$0.43 PKR 118

9.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 PKR 97.8

$0.31 PKR 86.0

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.34 PKR 95.5

29.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 PKR 358

$1.83 PKR 508

-29.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 PKR 353

$0.86 PKR 239

47.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 569

$2.01 PKR 559

1.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 PKR 578

$2.07 PKR 574

0.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.20 PKR 54.1

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.42 PKR 1,782

$7.18 PKR 1,991

-10.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 PKR 190

$0.54 PKR 150

27.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 PKR 184

$0.40 PKR 112

65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 PKR 480

$1.38 PKR 383

25.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 254

$0.93 PKR 258

-1.08%

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

$16.8K PKR 4.7M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

-22.17%

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

$24.8K PKR 6.9M

$14.3K PKR 4.0M

73.39%

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

$133 PKR 36.8K

$113 PKR 31.4K

17.30%

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

$4.86 PKR 1,349

$3.60 PKR 998

35.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.62 PKR 3,779

$16.38 PKR 4,547

-16.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.31 PKR 4,250

$4.63 PKR 1,285

230.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 PKR 4,038

$2.81 PKR 780

417.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 PKR 1,142

$3.30 PKR 916

24.55%

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

$57.5 PKR 16.0K

$16.53 PKR 4,588

247.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,387 PKR 385.0K

$865 PKR 240.0K

60.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.46 PKR 4,847

$12.22 PKR 3,391

42.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.90 PKR 7,188

$24.58 PKR 6,822

5.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.6 PKR 17.6K

$88.3 PKR 24.5K

-27.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.40 PKR 10.1K

$21.34 PKR 5,922

70.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$119 PKR 33.0K

$54.2 PKR 15.0K

119.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.6 PKR 21.0K

$19.63 PKR 5,448

285.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 PKR 88.2K

$115 PKR 32.0K

175.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 PKR 51.3K

$57.5 PKR 15.9K

221.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$912 PKR 253.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$442 PKR 122.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 PKR 49.7K

$231 PKR 64.1K

-22.49%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Gujranwala: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $119 in Karachi versus $54.2 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 29% 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: $483 in Karachi, $372 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 $725 per month in Karachi and $559 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 $483 in Karachi and $372 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 $483 in Karachi and $372 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.