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 $392 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A couple spends around $742 per month in Karachi vs $620 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,009 per month in Karachi vs $848 in Gujranwala, rent included.

Karachi costs about 21% more than Gujranwala, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Karachi and Gujranwala are more affordable than the global median – Karachi 65% lower, Gujranwala 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 PKR 609

$3.56 PKR 986

-38.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.66 PKR 3,785

$12.81 PKR 3,549

6.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 PKR 1,536

$5.53 PKR 1,533

0.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 PKR 595

$0.93 PKR 258

131.18%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 PKR 2,039

$6.67 PKR 1,847

10.34%

Cappuccino

$2.23 PKR 617

$1.20 PKR 332

85.83%

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

$0.36 PKR 99.3

$0.21 PKR 58.0

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 72.4

$0.17 PKR 48.35

52.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 PKR 234

$0.86 PKR 237

-1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 154

$0.72 PKR 198

-23.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 332

$1.12 PKR 311

7.14%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 338

$1.27 PKR 351

-3.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 PKR 1,727

$6.25 PKR 1,730

-0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 PKR 860

$2.42 PKR 671

28.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 PKR 1,761

$5.11 PKR 1,415

24.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 351

$1.31 PKR 363

-3.05%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$0.88 PKR 243

-38.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 287

$0.94 PKR 260

10.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 168

$0.52 PKR 145

17.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 88.2

$0.26 PKR 71.1

23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 84.4

$0.35 PKR 97.2

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.30 PKR 83.9

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.34 PKR 93.4

26.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.83 PKR 507

-30.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 381

$1.11 PKR 308

24.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PKR 666

$2.67 PKR 741

-9.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 PKR 503

$2.10 PKR 581

-13.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 77.4

$0.16 PKR 45.59

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.08 PKR 2,239

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 205

$1.01 PKR 280

-26.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 204

$0.75 PKR 206

-1.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 PKR 583

$1.40 PKR 387

50.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 366

$1.16 PKR 321

13.79%

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

$18.1K PKR 5.0M

$18.4K PKR 5.1M

-1.65%

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

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

25.99%

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

$109 PKR 30.2K

$102 PKR 28.3K

6.39%

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

$5.83 PKR 1,614

$5.43 PKR 1,504

7.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.96 PKR 3,589

$15.71 PKR 4,351

-17.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.39 PKR 5,927

$7.34 PKR 2,032

191.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 PKR 5,214

$6.02 PKR 1,667

212.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 PKR 1,178

$4.37 PKR 1,210

-2.75%

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

$50.1 PKR 13.9K

$27.93 PKR 7,737

79.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,571 PKR 435.2K

$949 PKR 262.9K

65.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.72 PKR 4,355

$14.46 PKR 4,005

8.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.45 PKR 6,218

$25.60 PKR 7,091

-12.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.5 PKR 19.0K

$70.9 PKR 19.6K

-3.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.80 PKR 10.7K

$33.95 PKR 9,406

14.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 PKR 30.8K

$54.3 PKR 15.0K

104.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$72.9 PKR 20.2K

$31.05 PKR 8,603

134.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 PKR 90.5K

$159 PKR 44.1K

105.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 PKR 50.1K

$98.7 PKR 27.3K

83.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,018 PKR 281.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$484 PKR 134.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 PKR 49.2K

$237 PKR 65.8K

-25.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

11.5

12.00%

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

Last update for Karachi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Gujranwala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $111 in Karachi versus $54.3 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 34% 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 $14.00 in Karachi versus $13.00 in Gujranwala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $102 vs $96.0 – making Gujranwala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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, $392 in Gujranwala – roughly 21% apart. Karachi costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $714 per month in Karachi and $589 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 $14.00 in Karachi and $13.00 in Gujranwala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Karachi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $476 in Karachi and $392 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.