Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Lahore Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Lahore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $484 in Karachi versus $484 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Karachi versus $727 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $987 in Karachi versus $970 in Lahore.

Monthly costs are close between Karachi and Lahore; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 572

$2.09 PKR 580

-1.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.56 PKR 3,487

$14.06 PKR 3,903

-10.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 PKR 1,108

$4.35 PKR 1,207

-8.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 PKR 537

$2.75 PKR 765

-29.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 PKR 1,463

$3.66 PKR 1,018

43.99%

Cappuccino

$1.81 PKR 503

$2.39 PKR 663

-24.27%

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

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$0.36 PKR 98.7

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$0.21 PKR 58.3

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 220

$0.94 PKR 260

-15.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.57 PKR 158

1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 328

$1.21 PKR 337

-2.48%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 321

$1.21 PKR 337

-4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 PKR 1,781

$6.18 PKR 1,717

3.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 867

$3.02 PKR 839

3.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 PKR 1,413

$4.55 PKR 1,263

11.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 286

$1.06 PKR 293

-2.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.63 PKR 175

-4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 257

$0.61 PKR 169

50.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$0.47 PKR 131

21.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$0.36 PKR 98.8

-2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$0.48 PKR 132

4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 99.8

$0.47 PKR 131

-23.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.35 PKR 98.3

17.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 346

$1.11 PKR 308

12.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 367

$0.51 PKR 143

158.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 PKR 573

$1.10 PKR 306

87.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 PKR 599

$1.97 PKR 546

9.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$0.18 PKR 51.2

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.43 PKR 1,785

$6.92 PKR 1,922

-7.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 206

$0.73 PKR 202

1.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.49 PKR 137

24.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 PKR 484

$1.80 PKR 501

-3.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.96 PKR 266

-2.08%

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

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

-4.24%

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

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

7.84%

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

$134 PKR 37.3K

$141 PKR 39.2K

-4.83%

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

$5.00 PKR 1,388

$5.31 PKR 1,473

-5.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.28 PKR 3,689

$17.33 PKR 4,811

-23.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.87 PKR 4,406

$13.73 PKR 3,813

15.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 PKR 3,984

$5.94 PKR 1,649

141.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,206

$4.29 PKR 1,191

1.17%

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

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

$34.60 PKR 9,608

69.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,356 PKR 376.6K

$1,253 PKR 347.9K

8.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.71 PKR 4,919

$15.40 PKR 4,276

15.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.79 PKR 7,163

$23.27 PKR 6,462

10.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

-10.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.84 PKR 9,953

$30.56 PKR 8,486

17.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

$120 PKR 33.3K

-1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

-1.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 PKR 88.6K

$291 PKR 80.9K

9.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 PKR 50.3K

$188 PKR 52.2K

-3.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 PKR 258.7K

$844 PKR 234.5K

10.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$433 PKR 120.3K

$590 PKR 163.7K

-26.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 PKR 49.1K

$185 PKR 51.5K

-4.49%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Lahore: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Karachi and $120 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lahore pays 5% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $13.00 in Karachi vs $14.00 in Lahore. Groceries flip the comparison at $97.0 vs $94.0, with Lahore cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Lahore. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $118 in Karachi versus $120 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lahore runs roughly 8% less than in Karachi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Karachi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Lahore 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.

It comes down to priorities – Lahore wins on affordability, Karachi on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.