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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $477 per month in Karachi vs $382 in Guwahati, rent included.

A couple spends around $727 per month in Karachi vs $608 in Guwahati, rent included.

A family of three spends $978 per month in Karachi vs $835 in Guwahati, rent included.

Karachi costs about 25% more than Guwahati, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 PKR 595

$1.37 ₹131

56.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.44 PKR 3,461

$10.32 ₹988

20.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 PKR 1,129

$5.80 ₹555

-30.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PKR 553

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 PKR 1,451

Cappuccino

$1.89 PKR 525

$1.64 ₹157

15.24%

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

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.34 ₹32.48

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.13 ₹12.06

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 ₹136

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₹310

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 PKR 231

$0.74 ₹70.8

12.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.47 ₹45.15

23.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PKR 315

$0.55 ₹52.5

105.45%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$0.98 ₹94.1

23.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 PKR 1,749

$4.43 ₹424

41.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 PKR 887

$3.26 ₹312

-2.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.91 PKR 1,365

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.85 ₹177

-44.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 162

$0.75 ₹72.2

-22.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.91 ₹87.2

2.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.79 ₹75.4

-29.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.31 ₹29.96

25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.35 ₹33.78

45.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.37 ₹34.99

2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.28 ₹26.77

53.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 PKR 356

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 PKR 351

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 PKR 580

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 PKR 580

$4.15 ₹397

-49.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.03 ₹673

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₹141

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₹275

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

$4.45 ₹426

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 PKR 94.4

$0.30 ₹28.72

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.33 PKR 1,762

$5.67 ₹542

11.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.76 ₹72.5

-2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 171

$0.39 ₹36.91

56.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 PKR 497

$1.49 ₹143

20.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 256

$1.18 ₹113

-22.03%

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

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

18.29%

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

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

$17.9K ₹1.7M

36.76%

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

$132 PKR 36.8K

$40.35 ₹3,861

227.88%

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

$4.90 PKR 1,362

$3.34 ₹320

46.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.63 PKR 3,791

$5.56 ₹532

145.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.55 PKR 4,325

$13.30 ₹1,273

16.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.33 PKR 3,986

$8.89 ₹851

61.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 PKR 1,203

$2.83 ₹271

53.00%

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

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

$32.81 ₹3,140

76.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,402 PKR 389.9K

$1,914 ₹183.1K

-26.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.73 PKR 4,932

$25.88 ₹2,477

-31.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 PKR 7,097

$34.97 ₹3,347

-27.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

$45.41 ₹4,346

41.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.86 PKR 9,975

$42.22 ₹4,040

-15.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 PKR 33.8K

$161 ₹15.4K

-24.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

$73.5 ₹7,030

0.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 PKR 89.8K

$365 ₹34.9K

-11.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 PKR 50.6K

$149 ₹14.3K

21.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$985 PKR 273.9K

$624 ₹59.7K

57.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$457 PKR 127.2K

$413 ₹39.5K

10.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 PKR 50.2K

$344 ₹32.9K

-47.58%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Guwahati: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $122 in Karachi versus $161 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 91% 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 $12.00 in Karachi versus $10.00 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 Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $715 per month in Karachi and $573 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 12% less in Guwahati. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $58.0 per month in Karachi and $32.81 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 $477 in Karachi and $382 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.