Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Haroonabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Haroonabad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $457 in Karachi versus $488 in Haroonabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $728 in Karachi versus $716 in Haroonabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $999 in Karachi versus $945 in Haroonabad.

Living in Karachi costs roughly 6% less than in Haroonabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 67% lower, Haroonabad 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 PKR 611

$2.56 PKR 710

-14.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.33 PKR 3,973

$10.84 PKR 3,005

32.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 PKR 1,462

$5.71 PKR 1,582

-7.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 PKR 593

$3.68 PKR 1,019

-41.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 PKR 2,040

$5.25 PKR 1,456

40.19%

Cappuccino

$2.20 PKR 610

$2.49 PKR 689

-11.65%

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

$0.33 PKR 92.3

$0.39 PKR 109

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.3

$0.26 PKR 72.5

-11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 248

$0.91 PKR 252

-2.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.67 PKR 185

-22.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 345

$1.18 PKR 327

5.08%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 335

$1.24 PKR 345

-2.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.19 PKR 1,715

$6.31 PKR 1,750

-1.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 PKR 841

$2.52 PKR 698

20.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,695

$4.75 PKR 1,318

28.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 339

$1.16 PKR 322

5.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.63 PKR 174

-12.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 PKR 272

$0.82 PKR 227

19.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 164

$0.64 PKR 178

-7.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 95.2

$0.28 PKR 77.0

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 85.2

$0.33 PKR 91.3

-6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 PKR 109

$0.48 PKR 134

-18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 121

$0.37 PKR 103

16.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 347

$1.06 PKR 293

17.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 365

$0.60 PKR 167

120.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 PKR 687

$1.65 PKR 456

50.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 PKR 496

$2.10 PKR 581

-14.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 77.5

$0.17 PKR 46.04

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 PKR 2,273

$10.60 PKR 2,938

-22.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.88 PKR 244

-15.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 194

$0.69 PKR 192

1.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 PKR 609

$1.84 PKR 509

19.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 PKR 369

$1.28 PKR 355

3.91%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$18.1K PKR 5.0M

-0.53%

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

$27.6K PKR 7.6M

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

3.49%

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

$104 PKR 28.8K

$121 PKR 33.5K

-14.16%

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

$5.88 PKR 1,629

$5.38 PKR 1,493

9.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.86 PKR 3,565

$10.67 PKR 2,958

20.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.32 PKR 5,633

$15.17 PKR 4,205

33.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 PKR 5,174

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 PKR 1,221

$4.41 PKR 1,224

-0.23%

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

$50.4 PKR 14.0K

$10.84 PKR 3,004

364.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,375 PKR 381.2K

$1,062 PKR 294.5K

29.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.81 PKR 4,106

$10.66 PKR 2,956

38.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.90 PKR 6,071

$25.55 PKR 7,084

-14.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 PKR 18.1K

$74.1 PKR 20.5K

-11.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.81 PKR 9,926

$28.50 PKR 7,901

25.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 PKR 30.8K

$122 PKR 33.8K

-8.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.9 PKR 19.6K

$84.3 PKR 23.4K

-15.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 PKR 82.2K

$248 PKR 68.6K

19.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 PKR 49.9K

$163 PKR 45.1K

10.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$976 PKR 270.7K

$834 PKR 231.3K

17.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$467 PKR 129.6K

$588 PKR 163.1K

-20.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

14.22

-9.42%

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

Last update for Karachi: August 30, 2026

Last update for Haroonabad: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $111 in Karachi and $122 in Haroonabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Karachi vs $11.00 in Haroonabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $95.0 per month, with Haroonabad cheaper across the board.

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 Haroonabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Haroonabad. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Karachi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $685 in Karachi and $732 in Haroonabad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $111 in Karachi versus $122 in Haroonabad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $50.4 in Karachi versus $10.84 in Haroonabad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Haroonabad pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Karachi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Haroonabad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.