Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Karak Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Karak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $477 in Karachi versus $407 in Karak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $727 in Karachi versus $583 in Karak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $978 in Karachi versus $759 in Karak.

Living in Karachi is roughly 17% more expensive than Karak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 64% lower, Karak 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 PKR 595

$0.74 PKR 205

189.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.44 PKR 3,461

$7.00 PKR 1,948

77.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 PKR 1,129

$5.27 PKR 1,467

-22.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PKR 553

$0.68 PKR 189

192.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 PKR 1,451

$4.00 PKR 1,112

30.50%

Cappuccino

$1.89 PKR 525

$0.51 PKR 141

270.59%

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

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.34 PKR 93.3

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.24 PKR 66.9

-4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 PKR 231

$1.00 PKR 277

-17.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.51 PKR 141

13.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PKR 315

$1.04 PKR 288

8.65%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.09 PKR 303

11.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 PKR 1,749

$1.81 PKR 503

247.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 PKR 887

$2.82 PKR 784

13.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.91 PKR 1,365

$4.29 PKR 1,194

14.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$0.72 PKR 201

43.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 162

$0.55 PKR 153

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.72 PKR 202

29.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.55 PKR 154

1.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.38 PKR 107

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.57 PKR 158

-10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.17 PKR 46.89

123.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.24 PKR 66.6

79.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 PKR 356

$1.34 PKR 373

-4.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 PKR 351

$0.91 PKR 253

38.46%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 PKR 580

$1.98 PKR 552

5.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 PKR 580

$2.14 PKR 595

-2.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 PKR 94.4

$0.18 PKR 49.76

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.33 PKR 1,762

$7.23 PKR 2,010

-12.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.86 PKR 240

-13.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 171

$0.44 PKR 121

38.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 PKR 497

$2.84 PKR 791

-36.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 256

$0.97 PKR 269

-5.15%

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

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

-24.04%

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

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

$26.4K PKR 7.4M

-7.41%

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

$132 PKR 36.8K

$113 PKR 31.6K

16.58%

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

$4.90 PKR 1,362

$5.36 PKR 1,491

-8.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.63 PKR 3,791

$18.48 PKR 5,141

-26.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.55 PKR 4,325

$12.19 PKR 3,391

27.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.33 PKR 3,986

$6.05 PKR 1,684

136.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 PKR 1,203

$4.22 PKR 1,174

2.61%

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

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

$59.1 PKR 16.5K

-1.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,402 PKR 389.9K

$1,129 PKR 314.1K

24.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.73 PKR 4,932

$21.57 PKR 6,001

-17.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 PKR 7,097

$27.73 PKR 7,714

-8.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

$90.1 PKR 25.1K

-28.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.86 PKR 9,976

$40.80 PKR 11.4K

-12.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 PKR 33.8K

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

64.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

43.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 PKR 89.8K

$167 PKR 46.5K

93.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 PKR 50.6K

$104 PKR 29.1K

74.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$985 PKR 273.9K

$1,127 PKR 313.5K

-12.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$457 PKR 127.3K

$580 PKR 161.3K

-21.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 PKR 50.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

20.2

-11.88%

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

Last update for Karachi: June 2, 2026

Last update for Karak: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in Karachi and $73.7 in Karak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Karachi vs $7.00 in Karak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97.0 vs $74.0 per month, with Karak 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 Karak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi and Karak differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($477 vs $407 including rent). Karak is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $715 in Karachi and $610 in Karak 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 $73.7 in Karak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $477 per month in Karachi versus $407 in Karak – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karak runs roughly 14% less than in Karachi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Karak 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 Karak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.