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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $484 per month in Karachi vs $459 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $735 per month in Karachi vs $699 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $987 per month in Karachi vs $939 in Hyderabad, rent included.

Karachi costs about 5% more than Hyderabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Karachi and Hyderabad are more affordable than the global median – Karachi 64% lower, Hyderabad 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 572

$1.82 PKR 504

13.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.56 PKR 3,487

$10.42 PKR 2,894

20.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 PKR 1,108

$4.05 PKR 1,124

-1.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 PKR 537

$2.00 PKR 556

-3.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 PKR 1,463

$5.26 PKR 1,462

0.19%

Cappuccino

$1.81 PKR 503

$0.93 PKR 259

94.62%

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

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$0.34 PKR 94.1

-2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$0.23 PKR 64.1

-8.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 220

$0.73 PKR 203

8.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.50 PKR 139

16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 328

$1.16 PKR 323

1.72%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 321

$1.11 PKR 308

3.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 PKR 1,781

$6.05 PKR 1,681

5.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 867

$2.71 PKR 752

15.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 PKR 1,413

$4.18 PKR 1,161

21.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 286

$1.08 PKR 301

-4.63%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.55 PKR 152

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 257

$0.87 PKR 241

5.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$0.52 PKR 144

9.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$0.36 PKR 98.7

-2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$0.51 PKR 140

-1.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 99.8

$0.39 PKR 107

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.44 PKR 122

-6.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 346

$0.88 PKR 245

42.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 367

$1.25 PKR 348

5.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 PKR 573

$2.09 PKR 580

-1.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 PKR 599

$2.17 PKR 603

-0.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$0.15 PKR 42.60

120.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.43 PKR 1,785

$9.50 PKR 2,638

-32.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 206

$0.65 PKR 180

13.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.20 PKR 55.1

205.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 PKR 484

$0.72 PKR 200

141.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.88 PKR 244

6.82%

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

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

$16.9K PKR 4.7M

-0.64%

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

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

10.06%

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

$134 PKR 37.3K

$135 PKR 37.4K

-0.27%

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

$5.00 PKR 1,388

$4.61 PKR 1,280

8.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.28 PKR 3,689

$13.27 PKR 3,686

0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.87 PKR 4,406

$20.84 PKR 5,787

-23.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 PKR 3,984

$3.45 PKR 959

315.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,206

$3.51 PKR 976

23.65%

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

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

$41.17 PKR 11.4K

42.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,356 PKR 376.6K

$1,109 PKR 307.9K

22.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.71 PKR 4,919

$17.58 PKR 4,881

0.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.79 PKR 7,163

$25.02 PKR 6,947

3.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

$64.6 PKR 17.9K

-0.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.84 PKR 9,953

$36.40 PKR 10.1K

-1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

-0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

$68.0 PKR 18.9K

9.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 PKR 88.6K

$294 PKR 81.7K

8.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 PKR 50.3K

$194 PKR 54.0K

-6.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 PKR 258.7K

$590 PKR 163.7K

58.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$433 PKR 120.3K

$196 PKR 54.4K

121.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 PKR 49.1K

$174 PKR 48.4K

1.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

18.67%

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

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hyderabad: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Karachi versus $118 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 2% 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 $13.00 in Karachi versus $10.00 in Hyderabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $97.0 vs $89.0 – 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 5% 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 $726 per month in Karachi and $688 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 $13.00 in Karachi and $10.00 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 $484 in Karachi and $459 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 $484 in Karachi and $459 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.