Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Lucknow Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Lucknow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $475 in Karachi versus $386 in Lucknow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Karachi versus $592 in Lucknow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $995 in Karachi versus $797 in Lucknow.

Living in Karachi is roughly 23% more expensive than in Lucknow, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 66% lower, Lucknow 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 PKR 584

$1.89 ₹181

11.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.17 PKR 3,924

$10.38 ₹992

36.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 PKR 1,540

$3.11 ₹297

78.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 PKR 591

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 PKR 1,988

Cappuccino

$2.29 PKR 633

$1.59 ₹152

44.03%

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

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.37 ₹35.65

2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.0

$0.12 ₹11.26

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 ₹156

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₹228

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 PKR 237

$0.74 ₹71.1

14.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.45 ₹42.90

26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 337

$0.59 ₹56.8

106.78%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 339

$1.01 ₹96.9

20.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PKR 1,684

$3.67 ₹351

65.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 PKR 870

$2.59 ₹247

21.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 PKR 1,732

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 339

$1.71 ₹163

-28.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.63 ₹59.9

-6.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 274

$0.93 ₹89.1

6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 154

$0.51 ₹48.53

9.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.7

$0.30 ₹28.38

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.5

$0.45 ₹42.56

-26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.45 ₹43.12

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.32 ₹30.78

25.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 PKR 357

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 367

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 PKR 692

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 PKR 496

$5.07 ₹484

-64.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 ₹823

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₹159

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 ₹246

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.72 ₹546

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 PKR 83.7

$0.44 ₹41.85

-31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.95 PKR 2,201

$5.21 ₹498

52.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 195

$0.92 ₹88.1

-23.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.22 ₹21.03

231.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 PKR 587

$1.19 ₹114

78.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.12 ₹107

19.64%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$12.5K ₹1.2M

44.45%

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

$27.2K PKR 7.5M

$22.1K ₹2.1M

23.39%

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

$110 PKR 30.5K

$53.2 ₹5,080

106.90%

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

$5.71 PKR 1,582

$3.66 ₹350

56.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.12 PKR 3,634

$8.78 ₹839

49.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.28 PKR 5,896

$15.75 ₹1,505

35.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.76 PKR 5,198

$6.97 ₹666

169.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 PKR 1,164

$3.26 ₹311

28.83%

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

$50.3 PKR 13.9K

$39.71 ₹3,794

26.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,589 PKR 440.2K

$1,008 ₹96.3K

57.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.49 PKR 4,290

$23.50 ₹2,246

-34.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.03 PKR 6,104

$24.67 ₹2,357

-10.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 PKR 18.7K

$38.15 ₹3,645

77.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.00 PKR 10.5K

$25.32 ₹2,419

50.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.8K

$129 ₹12.3K

-16.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.6 PKR 19.8K

$77.4 ₹7,391

-7.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 PKR 89.4K

$355 ₹33.9K

-9.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 PKR 51.0K

$173 ₹16.5K

6.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,036 PKR 287.0K

$1,300 ₹124.2K

-20.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$470 PKR 130.2K

$551 ₹52.6K

-14.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.4K

$339 ₹32.4K

-46.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

8.53

51.00%

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

Last update for Karachi: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $108 in Karachi and $129 in Lucknow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lucknow pays 86% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Karachi vs $10.00 in Lucknow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $99.0 per month, with Lucknow 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 Lucknow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi and Lucknow differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($475 vs $386 including rent). Lucknow is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 86% lower in Lucknow. 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: $108 in Karachi versus $129 in Lucknow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $475 per month in Karachi versus $386 in Lucknow – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lucknow runs roughly 53% less than in Karachi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Lucknow 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 Lucknow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.