Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Pattoki Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Pattoki

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $483 in Karachi versus $378 in Pattoki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $723 in Karachi versus $544 in Pattoki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $963 in Karachi versus $711 in Pattoki.

Living in Karachi is roughly 28% more expensive than Pattoki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 64% lower, Pattoki 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.15 PKR 598

$2.07 PKR 575

3.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.44 PKR 3,457

$9.00 PKR 2,502

38.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 PKR 1,167

$5.36 PKR 1,489

-21.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 PKR 556

$1.73 PKR 482

15.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 PKR 1,512

$3.15 PKR 876

72.70%

Cappuccino

$1.83 PKR 508

$1.38 PKR 385

32.61%

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

$0.34 PKR 93.4

$0.30 PKR 83.4

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.18 PKR 49.94

27.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 PKR 224

$0.47 PKR 130

72.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.41 PKR 113

34.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 PKR 317

$0.69 PKR 192

65.22%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 322

$0.76 PKR 212

52.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 PKR 1,847

$1.43 PKR 398

364.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 PKR 912

$2.56 PKR 712

28.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.18 PKR 1,440

$3.14 PKR 873

64.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$0.34 PKR 94.3

202.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 165

$0.33 PKR 92.6

78.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 PKR 245

$0.53 PKR 148

66.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 146

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.7

$0.33 PKR 92.5

9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 132

$0.34 PKR 93.2

38.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.36 PKR 101

5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 112

$0.36 PKR 101

11.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.30 PKR 360

$1.88 PKR 523

-30.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 PKR 354

$0.33 PKR 93.0

284.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 PKR 596

$1.91 PKR 530

12.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 PKR 573

$1.90 PKR 529

8.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.18 PKR 48.90

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.49 PKR 1,803

$7.19 PKR 2,000

-9.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 207

$1.07 PKR 298

-30.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.49 PKR 136

36.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 495

$1.38 PKR 383

28.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 PKR 242

$0.96 PKR 266

-9.37%

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

$16.5K PKR 4.6M

$22.3K PKR 6.2M

-26.33%

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

$24.6K PKR 6.8M

$22.2K PKR 6.2M

10.99%

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

$135 PKR 37.6K

$103 PKR 28.8K

30.53%

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

$4.93 PKR 1,371

$4.87 PKR 1,355

1.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.36 PKR 3,713

$13.56 PKR 3,769

-1.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.63 PKR 4,345

$12.41 PKR 3,451

25.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.40 PKR 4,003

$5.90 PKR 1,639

144.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 PKR 1,209

$2.57 PKR 715

69.26%

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

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

$36.27 PKR 10.1K

59.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,354 PKR 376.4K

$1,737 PKR 482.9K

-22.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.69 PKR 4,918

$16.57 PKR 4,607

6.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.06 PKR 6,968

$28.06 PKR 7,802

-10.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.6 PKR 18.0K

$68.8 PKR 19.1K

-6.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.14 PKR 10.0K

$29.38 PKR 8,169

23.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 PKR 33.5K

$75.4 PKR 21.0K

59.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.3 PKR 20.9K

$51.0 PKR 14.2K

47.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 PKR 88.5K

$169 PKR 47.0K

88.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 PKR 49.8K

$106 PKR 29.4K

69.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$998 PKR 277.5K

$878 PKR 244.2K

13.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$463 PKR 128.9K

$456 PKR 126.7K

1.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 PKR 47.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

17.43

2.12%

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

Last update for Karachi: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pattoki: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $120 in Karachi and $75.4 in Pattoki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Karachi vs $9.00 in Pattoki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $98.0 vs $57.0 per month, with Pattoki 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 Pattoki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi and Pattoki differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($483 vs $378 including rent). Pattoki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $725 in Karachi and $567 in Pattoki 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: $120 in Karachi versus $75.4 in Pattoki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $483 per month in Karachi versus $378 in Pattoki – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pattoki runs roughly 11% 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 Pattoki 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 Pattoki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.