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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $477 per month in Karachi vs $459 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $727 per month in Karachi vs $685 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $978 per month in Karachi vs $911 in Hyderabad, rent included.

Karachi costs about 4% 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

$2.14 PKR 595

$1.79 PKR 498

19.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.44 PKR 3,461

$10.75 PKR 2,991

15.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 PKR 1,129

$4.16 PKR 1,158

-2.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PKR 553

$1.89 PKR 527

5.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 PKR 1,451

$5.46 PKR 1,518

-4.40%

Cappuccino

$1.89 PKR 525

$0.95 PKR 264

98.95%

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

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.34 PKR 94.1

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.23 PKR 64.3

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 PKR 231

$0.72 PKR 201

15.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.53 PKR 148

9.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PKR 315

$1.16 PKR 323

-2.59%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.15 PKR 321

5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 PKR 1,749

$6.11 PKR 1,700

2.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 PKR 887

$2.75 PKR 765

16.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.91 PKR 1,365

$4.00 PKR 1,111

22.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.09 PKR 303

-5.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 162

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.85 PKR 237

9.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.56 PKR 155

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.36 PKR 98.9

8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.48 PKR 133

6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.38 PKR 106

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.41 PKR 114

4.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 PKR 356

$0.91 PKR 254

40.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 PKR 351

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 PKR 580

$2.12 PKR 588

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 PKR 580

$2.17 PKR 603

-4.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 PKR 94.4

$0.18 PKR 50.3

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.33 PKR 1,762

$9.84 PKR 2,737

-35.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.65 PKR 181

13.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 171

$0.19 PKR 52.4

221.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 PKR 497

$0.69 PKR 192

159.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 256

$0.87 PKR 243

5.75%

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

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

$16.6K PKR 4.6M

-1.46%

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

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

6.29%

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

$132 PKR 36.8K

$135 PKR 37.5K

-1.75%

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

$4.90 PKR 1,362

$4.64 PKR 1,292

5.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.63 PKR 3,791

$13.73 PKR 3,820

-0.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.55 PKR 4,325

$20.28 PKR 5,641

-23.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.33 PKR 3,986

$3.59 PKR 997

299.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 PKR 1,203

$3.43 PKR 955

26.24%

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

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

$41.18 PKR 11.5K

40.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,402 PKR 389.9K

$1,094 PKR 304.4K

28.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.73 PKR 4,932

$17.79 PKR 4,948

-0.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 PKR 7,097

$24.99 PKR 6,951

2.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

$64.4 PKR 17.9K

-0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.86 PKR 9,975

$36.32 PKR 10.1K

-1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 PKR 33.8K

$119 PKR 33.2K

2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

$68.1 PKR 18.9K

8.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 PKR 89.8K

$296 PKR 82.3K

9.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 PKR 50.6K

$198 PKR 55.2K

-8.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$985 PKR 273.9K

$580 PKR 161.4K

69.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$457 PKR 127.2K

$195 PKR 54.2K

134.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 PKR 50.2K

$171 PKR 47.5K

5.80%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Hyderabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $122 in Karachi versus $119 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 6% 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 $12.00 in Karachi versus $11.00 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 4% 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 $715 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 $12.00 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 $477 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 $477 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.