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: $484 in Karachi versus $398 in Lucknow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Karachi versus $637 in Lucknow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $987 in Karachi versus $876 in Lucknow.

Living in Karachi is roughly 22% more expensive than in Lucknow, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 572

$2.37 ₹228

-13.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.56 PKR 3,487

$11.62 ₹1,118

8.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 PKR 1,108

$3.43 ₹330

16.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 PKR 537

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 PKR 1,463

Cappuccino

$1.81 PKR 503

$1.50 ₹145

20.67%

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

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$0.33 ₹32.00

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$0.13 ₹12.11

61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 ₹163

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 ₹240

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 220

$0.78 ₹75.5

1.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.52 ₹50.2

11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 328

$0.65 ₹62.7

81.54%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 321

$0.99 ₹95.2

16.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 PKR 1,781

$3.70 ₹356

73.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 867

$2.71 ₹261

15.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 PKR 1,413

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 286

$1.78 ₹171

-42.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.65 ₹62.2

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 257

$0.87 ₹83.3

5.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$0.56 ₹54.2

1.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$0.32 ₹31.18

9.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$0.45 ₹43.46

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 99.8

$0.35 ₹33.44

2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.34 ₹32.37

20.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 346

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 367

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 PKR 573

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 PKR 599

$3.93 ₹378

-45.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 ₹777

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₹158

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ₹272

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

$5.78 ₹557

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$0.49 ₹46.75

-32.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.43 PKR 1,785

$10.28 ₹990

-37.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 206

$1.14 ₹109

-35.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.42 ₹40.17

45.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 PKR 484

$1.38 ₹133

26.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$1.21 ₹117

-22.31%

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

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

$15.5K ₹1.5M

7.73%

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

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

$23.8K ₹2.3M

6.04%

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

$134 PKR 37.3K

$43.20 ₹4,159

211.02%

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

$5.00 PKR 1,388

$3.64 ₹350

37.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.28 PKR 3,689

$7.64 ₹736

73.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.87 PKR 4,406

$22.05 ₹2,122

-28.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 PKR 3,984

$8.81 ₹848

62.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,206

$3.47 ₹334

25.07%

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

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

$56.6 ₹5,447

3.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,356 PKR 376.6K

$1,645 ₹158.3K

-17.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.71 PKR 4,919

$26.76 ₹2,577

-33.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.79 PKR 7,163

$24.48 ₹2,357

5.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

$41.50 ₹3,995

54.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.84 PKR 9,953

$25.11 ₹2,417

42.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

$148 ₹14.2K

-19.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

$88.8 ₹8,549

-15.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 PKR 88.6K

$356 ₹34.2K

-10.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 PKR 50.3K

$210 ₹20.2K

-13.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 PKR 258.7K

$1,152 ₹110.9K

-19.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$433 PKR 120.3K

$527 ₹50.7K

-17.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 PKR 49.1K

$360 ₹34.7K

-50.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

8.72

104.13%

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

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Karachi and $148 in Lucknow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lucknow pays 104% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $13.00 in Karachi vs $12.00 in Lucknow. Groceries flip the comparison at $97.0 vs $101, with Karachi 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 Lucknow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi and Lucknow differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($484 vs $398 including rent). Lucknow is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 104% 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: $118 in Karachi versus $148 in Lucknow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $484 per month in Karachi versus $398 in Lucknow – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lucknow runs roughly 60% 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 22% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.