Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $490 a month against $1,257 in Makati, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
Learn more

Makati Living Index

Jump to prices

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$490

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,257

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Makati

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Karachi and in Makati actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $490 in Karachi versus $1,257 in Makati.

Karachi $490
Makati $1,257

Estimated couple costs with rent: $755 in Karachi versus $2,052 in Makati.

Karachi $755
Makati $2,052

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,019 in Karachi versus $2,847 in Makati.

Karachi $1,019
Makati $2,847

Living in Karachi costs roughly 61% less than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 63% lower, Makati 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.15 PKR 596

$6.56 ₱412

-67.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.37 PKR 3,700

$40.13 ₱2,524

-66.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 PKR 1,464

$4.75 ₱299

11.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 606

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 PKR 2,005

Cappuccino

$2.11 PKR 583

$2.65 ₱166

-20.38%

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

$0.37 PKR 103

$1.08 ₱67.8

-65.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 PKR 78.2

$0.50 ₱31.56

-44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱153

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₱195

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 PKR 238

$1.83 ₱115

-53.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 PKR 144

$1.24 ₱77.9

-58.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 344

$1.01 ₱63.7

22.77%

Eggs

$1.24 PKR 342

$2.37 ₱149

-47.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.86 PKR 1,622

$7.35 ₱462

-20.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 862

$4.91 ₱309

-36.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 PKR 1,730

$6.81 ₱429

-8.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 356

$4.09 ₱257

-68.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$2.00 ₱126

-73.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 273

$3.27 ₱206

-69.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$2.29 ₱144

-75.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.6

$3.59 ₱226

-90.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.8

$3.45 ₱217

-89.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PKR 124

$1.07 ₱67.2

-57.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 121

$1.11 ₱69.9

-60.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 PKR 341

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 PKR 380

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 676

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 PKR 497

$2.66 ₱167

-32.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱504

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱84.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱125

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 76.5

$0.99 ₱62.0

-71.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.68 PKR 2,679

$57.4 ₱3,609

-83.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 255

$0.66 ₱41.50

39.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 PKR 196

$0.23 ₱14.50

208.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 PKR 615

$1.88 ₱118

18.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PKR 372

$1.26 ₱79.2

7.14%

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

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

$21.5K ₱1.4M

-16.91%

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

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

$19.8K ₱1.2M

35.01%

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

$112 PKR 30.9K

$155 ₱9,752

-27.90%

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

$6.05 PKR 1,673

$15.90 ₱1,000

-61.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.29 PKR 3,679

$32.67 ₱2,055

-59.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.51 PKR 5,954

$55.4 ₱3,482

-61.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.80 PKR 4,927

$14.51 ₱913

22.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 PKR 1,222

$6.98 ₱439

-36.68%

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

$50.7 PKR 14.0K

$783 ₱49.2K

-93.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,957 PKR 541.6K

$7,340 ₱461.6K

-73.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.57 PKR 4,862

$59.6 ₱3,748

-70.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.78 PKR 6,304

$37.48 ₱2,357

-39.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 PKR 18.7K

$82.5 ₱5,185

-18.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.97 PKR 11.3K

$102 ₱6,400

-59.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 PKR 32.4K

$828 ₱52.1K

-85.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.7 PKR 21.0K

$416 ₱26.2K

-81.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 PKR 101.1K

$2,318 ₱145.8K

-84.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 PKR 50.5K

$1,067 ₱67.1K

-82.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,054 PKR 291.6K

$6,082 ₱382.5K

-82.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$491 PKR 135.8K

$3,765 ₱236.8K

-86.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.2K

$616 ₱38.7K

-69.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

7.5

76.13%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 4, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karachi

$131 27.3%

Makati

$204 16.5% 55.3% $73

Groceries & Markets

Karachi

$101 20.9%

Makati

$230 18.7% 129% $129

Accommodation & Living

Karachi

$76 15.7%

Makati

$416 33.8% 450% $341

Clothing & Footwear

Karachi

$67 13.9%

Makati

$127 10.3% 88.9% $60

Eating Out

Karachi

$61 12.7%

Makati

$123 10% 102% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Karachi

$30 6.3%

Makati

$69 5.6% 129% $39

Getting Around

Karachi

$15 3.2%

Makati

$63 5.1% 314% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Karachi and $828 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 233% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $13.00 in Karachi vs $40.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $230 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Karachi

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

12:12 12:12 PM

15:12 3:12 PM

3 h ahead of Karachi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,910,352

582,602

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 310 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Karachi Makati 5,730 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Karachi
Makati

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi and Makati differ by about 157% in total monthly costs ($490 vs $1,257 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 233% lower in Makati. 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: $117 in Karachi versus $828 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $490 per month in Karachi versus $1,257 in Makati – a 157% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 493% less than in Makati. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $490 in Karachi versus $1,257 in Makati, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karachi but tight or insufficient in Makati. The gap between the two cities makes Karachi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Karachi and Makati are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 157% less than in Makati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.