Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Hyderabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Hyderabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $476 per month in Karachi vs $437 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $742 per month in Karachi vs $680 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,009 per month in Karachi vs $923 in Hyderabad, rent included.

Karachi costs about 9% more than Hyderabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Karachi and Hyderabad are more affordable than the global median – Karachi 65% lower, Hyderabad 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 PKR 609

$1.68 PKR 465

30.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.66 PKR 3,785

$10.76 PKR 2,982

26.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 PKR 1,536

$4.22 PKR 1,170

31.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 PKR 595

$2.12 PKR 588

1.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 PKR 2,039

$5.86 PKR 1,624

25.60%

Cappuccino

$2.23 PKR 617

$1.04 PKR 287

114.42%

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

$0.36 PKR 99.3

$0.38 PKR 104

-5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 72.4

$0.24 PKR 66.7

8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 PKR 234

$0.81 PKR 225

4.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 154

$0.56 PKR 155

-1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 332

$1.19 PKR 331

0.84%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 338

$1.27 PKR 351

-3.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 PKR 1,727

$4.44 PKR 1,229

40.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 PKR 860

$3.11 PKR 862

-0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 PKR 1,761

$4.13 PKR 1,143

54.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 PKR 351

$1.02 PKR 282

24.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$0.41 PKR 113

31.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 287

$0.68 PKR 190

52.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 168

$0.44 PKR 121

38.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 88.2

$0.32 PKR 87.7

Onion (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 84.4

$0.33 PKR 92.3

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.39 PKR 109

2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.40 PKR 111

7.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 PKR 355

$0.92 PKR 254

39.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 381

$1.14 PKR 315

21.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PKR 666

$0.70 PKR 194

244.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 PKR 503

$1.82 PKR 504

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 77.4

$0.20 PKR 56.1

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.08 PKR 2,239

$10.15 PKR 2,811

-20.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.61 PKR 170

21.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 204

$0.18 PKR 50.3

311.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 PKR 583

$0.75 PKR 206

181.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 366

$1.16 PKR 322

13.79%

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

$18.1K PKR 5.0M

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

1.41%

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

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

4.78%

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

$109 PKR 30.2K

$109 PKR 30.3K

-0.32%

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

$5.83 PKR 1,614

$5.37 PKR 1,488

8.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.96 PKR 3,589

$13.32 PKR 3,690

-2.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.39 PKR 5,927

$23.13 PKR 6,407

-7.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 PKR 5,214

$3.65 PKR 1,010

415.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 PKR 1,178

$3.68 PKR 1,019

15.49%

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

$50.1 PKR 13.9K

$50.4 PKR 14.0K

-0.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,571 PKR 435.2K

$1,338 PKR 370.6K

17.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.72 PKR 4,355

$15.62 PKR 4,327

0.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.45 PKR 6,218

$21.81 PKR 6,042

2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.5 PKR 19.0K

$69.3 PKR 19.2K

-1.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.80 PKR 10.7K

$37.71 PKR 10.4K

2.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 PKR 30.8K

$133 PKR 36.8K

-16.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$72.9 PKR 20.2K

$75.8 PKR 21.0K

-3.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 PKR 90.5K

$311 PKR 86.1K

5.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 PKR 50.1K

$210 PKR 58.1K

-13.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,018 PKR 281.9K

$771 PKR 213.5K

32.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$484 PKR 134.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 PKR 49.2K

$158 PKR 43.7K

12.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

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

Last update for Karachi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hyderabad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $111 in Karachi versus $133 in Hyderabad. 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 13% higher in Karachi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Karachi versus $11.00 in Hyderabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $102 vs $85.0 – making Hyderabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Hyderabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi costs about 9% more than Hyderabad, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $714 per month in Karachi and $655 in Hyderabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Karachi and $11.00 in Hyderabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $476 in Karachi and $437 in Hyderabad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $476 in Karachi and $437 in Hyderabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Hyderabad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hyderabad. 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.