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: $481 in Karachi versus $452 in Haroonabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Karachi versus $665 in Haroonabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $989 in Karachi versus $877 in Haroonabad.

Living in Karachi is roughly 6% more expensive than in Haroonabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 64% lower, Haroonabad 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 PKR 577

$2.15 PKR 597

-3.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.33 PKR 3,424

$10.42 PKR 2,893

18.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.17 PKR 1,159

$4.21 PKR 1,170

-0.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 PKR 555

$2.79 PKR 776

-28.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 PKR 1,456

$3.74 PKR 1,038

40.11%

Cappuccino

$1.87 PKR 519

$2.29 PKR 635

-18.34%

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

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.33 PKR 91.0

12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.2

$0.23 PKR 64.0

-8.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 PKR 224

$0.95 PKR 265

-14.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 151

$0.61 PKR 170

-11.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 312

$1.17 PKR 325

-4.27%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 340

$1.20 PKR 333

1.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.40 PKR 1,776

$6.15 PKR 1,708

4.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 PKR 904

$2.45 PKR 680

32.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.06 PKR 1,403

$4.49 PKR 1,248

12.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.05 PKR 292

-1.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.65 PKR 180

-9.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 242

$0.61 PKR 169

42.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.48 PKR 133

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.35 PKR 97.5

11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 139

$0.48 PKR 132

4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 99.1

$0.48 PKR 133

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 122

$0.37 PKR 101

18.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 346

$1.07 PKR 296

16.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 PKR 354

$0.55 PKR 154

132.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 PKR 599

$1.06 PKR 294

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 PKR 592

$1.89 PKR 526

12.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 PKR 94.2

$0.20 PKR 56.4

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.21 PKR 1,725

$7.27 PKR 2,020

-14.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 193

$0.68 PKR 190

2.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 PKR 187

$0.49 PKR 137

36.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 PKR 505

$1.81 PKR 503

0.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 PKR 242

$0.88 PKR 245

-1.14%

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

$16.6K PKR 4.6M

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

-5.28%

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

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

8.41%

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

$132 PKR 36.7K

$136 PKR 37.8K

-2.91%

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

$5.02 PKR 1,394

$5.30 PKR 1,470

-5.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.36 PKR 3,708

$10.53 PKR 2,924

26.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.80 PKR 4,386

$12.50 PKR 3,471

26.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.58 PKR 4,048

$6.07 PKR 1,687

140.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,190

$4.15 PKR 1,153

3.37%

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

$57.6 PKR 16.0K

$10.78 PKR 2,993

433.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,373 PKR 381.2K

$1,070 PKR 297.1K

28.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.75 PKR 4,928

$10.46 PKR 2,904

69.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.14 PKR 6,980

$22.51 PKR 6,251

11.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 PKR 18.1K

$72.3 PKR 20.1K

-10.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.37 PKR 9,819

$28.06 PKR 7,791

26.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 PKR 33.9K

$74.9 PKR 20.8K

63.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.2 PKR 20.6K

$51.1 PKR 14.2K

45.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 PKR 87.0K

$168 PKR 46.7K

86.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 PKR 49.7K

$104 PKR 29.0K

71.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$918 PKR 254.8K

$818 PKR 227.2K

12.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$443 PKR 122.9K

$491 PKR 136.2K

-9.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 PKR 49.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

19.88

-10.46%

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

Last update for Karachi: July 20, 2026

Last update for Haroonabad: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in Karachi and $74.9 in Haroonabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Karachi vs $10.00 in Haroonabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97.0 vs $92.0 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

Haroonabad wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Karachi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Haroonabad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $722 in Karachi and $679 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: $122 in Karachi versus $74.9 in Haroonabad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $57.6 in Karachi versus $10.78 in Haroonabad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Karachi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Haroonabad 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 Haroonabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.