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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $484 per month in Karachi vs $388 in Guwahati, rent included.

A couple spends around $735 per month in Karachi vs $601 in Guwahati, rent included.

A family of three spends $987 per month in Karachi vs $814 in Guwahati, rent included.

Karachi costs about 25% more than Guwahati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Karachi and Guwahati are more affordable than the global median – Karachi 64% lower, Guwahati 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 572

$1.38 ₹133

49.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.56 PKR 3,487

$10.52 ₹1,013

19.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 PKR 1,108

$5.79 ₹558

-31.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 PKR 537

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 PKR 1,463

Cappuccino

$1.81 PKR 503

$1.72 ₹165

5.23%

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

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$0.33 ₹32.21

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$0.13 ₹12.28

61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 ₹132

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 ₹316

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 220

$0.70 ₹67.8

12.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.46 ₹44.34

26.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 328

$0.54 ₹52.2

118.52%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 321

$0.91 ₹88.0

26.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 PKR 1,781

$4.51 ₹434

42.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 867

$3.40 ₹327

-8.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 PKR 1,413

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 286

$1.93 ₹186

-46.63%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.75 ₹71.9

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 257

$0.92 ₹88.4

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$0.78 ₹75.0

-26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$0.31 ₹30.23

12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$0.38 ₹37.04

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 99.8

$0.37 ₹35.23

-2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.28 ₹26.92

46.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 346

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 367

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 PKR 573

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 PKR 599

$4.15 ₹400

-47.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 ₹659

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₹143

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₹267

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

$4.25 ₹409

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$0.28 ₹26.81

17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.43 PKR 1,785

$5.98 ₹575

7.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 206

$0.81 ₹78.0

-8.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.38 ₹37.02

60.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 PKR 484

$1.42 ₹136

22.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$1.17 ₹113

-19.66%

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

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

$14.0K ₹1.4M

19.38%

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

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

42.74%

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

$134 PKR 37.3K

$40.39 ₹3,888

232.66%

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

$5.00 PKR 1,388

$3.32 ₹319

50.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.28 PKR 3,689

$5.68 ₹547

133.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.87 PKR 4,406

$13.50 ₹1,299

17.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 PKR 3,984

$8.87 ₹853

61.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,206

$2.98 ₹287

45.64%

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

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

$32.22 ₹3,102

82.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,356 PKR 376.6K

$1,953 ₹188.0K

-30.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.71 PKR 4,919

$25.25 ₹2,431

-29.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.79 PKR 7,163

$36.21 ₹3,486

-28.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

$46.26 ₹4,453

38.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.84 PKR 9,953

$42.76 ₹4,116

-16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

$158 ₹15.2K

-25.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

$70.8 ₹6,815

5.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 PKR 88.6K

$368 ₹35.4K

-13.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 PKR 50.3K

$154 ₹14.8K

17.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 PKR 258.7K

$626 ₹60.3K

48.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$433 PKR 120.3K

$415 ₹39.9K

4.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 PKR 49.1K

$333 ₹32.0K

-46.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

7.38

141.19%

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

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Guwahati: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Karachi versus $158 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 88% 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 $13.00 in Karachi versus $11.00 in Guwahati. Groceries tell a different story – $97.0 in Karachi vs $103 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 25%, 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 $726 per month in Karachi and $583 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 8% less in Guwahati. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $58.8 per month in Karachi and $32.22 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 $484 in Karachi and $388 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.