Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Guwahati Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Guwahati

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $475 per month in Karachi vs $384 in Guwahati, rent included.

A couple spends around $735 per month in Karachi vs $651 in Guwahati, rent included.

A family of three spends $995 per month in Karachi vs $917 in Guwahati, rent included.

Karachi costs about 24% more than Guwahati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Karachi and Guwahati are more affordable than the global median – Karachi 66% lower, Guwahati 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 PKR 584

$2.97 ₹284

-28.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.17 PKR 3,924

$11.84 ₹1,131

19.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 PKR 1,540

$5.30 ₹507

4.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 PKR 591

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 PKR 1,988

Cappuccino

$2.29 PKR 633

$2.45 ₹234

-6.53%

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

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.44 ₹42.05

-13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.0

$0.16 ₹14.85

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ₹120

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₹335

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 PKR 237

$0.65 ₹62.4

30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.44 ₹41.85

29.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 337

$0.56 ₹53.2

117.86%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 339

$0.97 ₹93.1

25.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PKR 1,684

$3.91 ₹373

55.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 PKR 870

$3.29 ₹314

-4.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 PKR 1,732

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 339

$2.22 ₹212

-45.05%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.67 ₹64.2

-11.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 274

$0.95 ₹90.6

4.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 154

$0.66 ₹63.1

-15.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.7

$0.35 ₹33.58

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.5

$0.35 ₹33.07

-5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.32 ₹30.33

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.29 ₹28.01

37.93%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 PKR 357

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 367

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 PKR 692

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 PKR 496

$5.06 ₹483

-64.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₹700

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₹159

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 ₹248

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.81 ₹460

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 PKR 83.7

$0.20 ₹19.09

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.95 PKR 2,201

$5.38 ₹514

47.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 195

$0.69 ₹65.6

1.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.28 ₹26.46

160.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 PKR 587

$1.30 ₹124

63.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.10 ₹105

21.82%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$12.9K ₹1.2M

39.61%

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

$27.2K PKR 7.5M

$16.6K ₹1.6M

64.10%

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

$110 PKR 30.5K

$34.53 ₹3,299

218.59%

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

$5.71 PKR 1,582

$3.26 ₹312

75.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.12 PKR 3,634

$6.15 ₹588

113.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.28 PKR 5,896

$12.24 ₹1,169

73.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.76 PKR 5,198

$10.03 ₹958

87.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 PKR 1,164

$3.11 ₹297

35.05%

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

$50.3 PKR 13.9K

$27.33 ₹2,611

84.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,589 PKR 440.2K

$2,273 ₹217.1K

-30.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.49 PKR 4,290

$17.52 ₹1,674

-11.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.03 PKR 6,104

$31.33 ₹2,994

-29.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 PKR 18.7K

$37.94 ₹3,625

78.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.00 PKR 10.5K

$27.72 ₹2,648

37.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.8K

$140 ₹13.4K

-23.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.6 PKR 19.8K

$70.0 ₹6,692

2.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 PKR 89.4K

$289 ₹27.6K

11.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 PKR 51.0K

$236 ₹22.6K

-22.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,036 PKR 287.0K

$634 ₹60.6K

63.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$470 PKR 130.2K

$417 ₹39.8K

12.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.4K

$343 ₹32.8K

-47.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

7.38

74.53%

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

Last update for Karachi: September 7, 2026

Last update for Guwahati: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $108 in Karachi versus $140 in Guwahati. 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 89% higher in Guwahati, 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 $12.00 in Guwahati. Groceries tell a different story – $101 in Karachi vs $102 in Guwahati – so Karachi 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 Guwahati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Karachi is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $713 per month in Karachi and $576 in Guwahati. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 48% less in Guwahati. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $50.3 per month in Karachi and $27.33 in Guwahati. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $475 in Karachi and $384 in Guwahati, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Guwahati – 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 Guwahati. 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.