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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $482 per month in Karachi vs $368 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A couple spends around $737 per month in Karachi vs $554 in Gujranwala, rent included.

A family of three spends $992 per month in Karachi vs $741 in Gujranwala, rent included.

Karachi costs about 31% 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

$2.08 PKR 578

$0.51 PKR 142

307.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.44 PKR 3,458

$13.94 PKR 3,876

-10.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 PKR 1,131

$5.18 PKR 1,440

-21.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 PKR 557

$0.89 PKR 248

124.72%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 PKR 1,506

$3.85 PKR 1,069

40.78%

Cappuccino

$1.88 PKR 524

$1.36 PKR 377

38.24%

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

$0.34 PKR 93.2

$0.22 PKR 61.2

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.17 PKR 46.48

35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 PKR 223

$0.77 PKR 213

3.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 149

$0.67 PKR 185

-19.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 312

$1.15 PKR 319

-2.61%

Eggs

$1.18 PKR 328

$1.15 PKR 319

2.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.61 PKR 1,838

$6.19 PKR 1,721

6.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 PKR 886

$2.57 PKR 715

24.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 PKR 1,408

$4.14 PKR 1,152

22.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 291

$1.01 PKR 280

3.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.60 PKR 167

-6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 PKR 247

$0.90 PKR 251

-1.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.45 PKR 125

26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.7

$0.38 PKR 107

-7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 130

$0.42 PKR 117

11.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 PKR 98.0

$0.33 PKR 91.9

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.34 PKR 95.3

20.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.27 PKR 354

$1.76 PKR 489

-27.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 366

$0.93 PKR 260

41.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 568

$2.03 PKR 564

0.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 PKR 586

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.20 PKR 55.5

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.24 PKR 1,734

$7.24 PKR 2,014

-13.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.54 PKR 151

35.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 171

$0.41 PKR 113

48.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 487

$1.38 PKR 382

26.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 PKR 245

$0.88 PKR 244

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

$16.6K PKR 4.6M

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

-22.08%

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

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

$14.3K PKR 4.0M

72.04%

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

$133 PKR 36.9K

$113 PKR 31.3K

18.02%

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

$5.11 PKR 1,419

$3.56 PKR 990

43.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.67 PKR 3,801

$16.29 PKR 4,528

-16.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.52 PKR 4,315

$4.80 PKR 1,334

223.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 PKR 4,018

$2.76 PKR 768

423.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,172

$3.33 PKR 926

26.43%

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

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

$16.76 PKR 4,659

245.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,384 PKR 384.8K

$865 PKR 240.6K

59.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.48 PKR 4,859

$12.19 PKR 3,390

43.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.97 PKR 6,943

$25.07 PKR 6,971

-0.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.6 PKR 18.0K

$89.3 PKR 24.8K

-27.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.19 PKR 10.1K

$21.45 PKR 5,964

68.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 PKR 32.6K

$54.0 PKR 15.0K

117.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.8 PKR 20.5K

$19.08 PKR 5,306

286.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 PKR 86.7K

$114 PKR 31.7K

173.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 PKR 50.5K

$55.7 PKR 15.5K

226.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$929 PKR 258.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$437 PKR 121.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$176 PKR 48.9K

$236 PKR 65.6K

-25.53%

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: June 16, 2026

Last update for Gujranwala: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $117 in Karachi versus $54.0 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 $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: $482 in Karachi, $368 in Gujranwala – roughly 31% apart. Karachi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $723 per month in Karachi and $552 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 $482 in Karachi and $368 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 $482 in Karachi and $368 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.