Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Peshawar Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Peshawar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $477 in Karachi versus $379 in Peshawar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $727 in Karachi versus $564 in Peshawar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $978 in Karachi versus $749 in Peshawar.

Living in Karachi is roughly 26% more expensive than Peshawar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 PKR 595

$2.23 PKR 621

-4.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.44 PKR 3,461

$10.77 PKR 2,995

15.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 PKR 1,129

$3.58 PKR 996

13.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PKR 553

$1.44 PKR 401

38.19%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 PKR 1,451

$2.73 PKR 758

91.21%

Cappuccino

$1.89 PKR 525

$1.77 PKR 492

6.78%

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

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.28 PKR 76.8

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.17 PKR 47.72

35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 PKR 231

$0.82 PKR 227

1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.61 PKR 169

-4.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PKR 315

$1.12 PKR 312

0.89%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.24 PKR 346

-2.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 PKR 1,749

$3.36 PKR 935

87.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 PKR 887

$3.07 PKR 855

3.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.91 PKR 1,365

$3.66 PKR 1,017

34.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$1.04 PKR 290

-0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 162

$0.65 PKR 180

-10.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.97 PKR 270

-4.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.45 PKR 126

24.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.39 PKR 109

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.45 PKR 124

13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.22 PKR 61.1

72.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.32 PKR 88.1

34.37%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 PKR 356

$0.75 PKR 208

70.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 PKR 351

$1.56 PKR 435

-19.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 PKR 580

$3.48 PKR 969

-40.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 PKR 580

$1.80 PKR 502

15.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 PKR 94.4

$0.16 PKR 45.28

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.33 PKR 1,762

$6.90 PKR 1,918

-8.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.68 PKR 190

8.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 171

$0.75 PKR 209

-18.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 PKR 497

$1.82 PKR 507

-1.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 256

$1.00 PKR 278

-8.00%

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

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

$11.9K PKR 3.3M

37.78%

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

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

7.43%

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

$132 PKR 36.8K

$96.3 PKR 26.8K

37.34%

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

$4.90 PKR 1,362

$4.24 PKR 1,179

15.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.63 PKR 3,791

$10.89 PKR 3,028

25.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.55 PKR 4,325

$9.91 PKR 2,757

56.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.33 PKR 3,986

$6.88 PKR 1,913

108.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 PKR 1,203

$4.28 PKR 1,191

1.17%

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

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

$30.41 PKR 8,459

90.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,402 PKR 389.9K

$519 PKR 144.5K

169.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.73 PKR 4,932

$13.14 PKR 3,656

34.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 PKR 7,097

$19.22 PKR 5,346

32.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

$38.29 PKR 10.7K

67.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.86 PKR 9,975

$32.48 PKR 9,035

10.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 PKR 33.8K

$119 PKR 33.2K

1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

43.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 PKR 89.8K

$206 PKR 57.4K

56.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 PKR 50.6K

$95.5 PKR 26.6K

90.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$985 PKR 273.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$457 PKR 127.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 PKR 50.2K

$173 PKR 48.0K

4.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

21.17

-15.92%

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

Last update for Karachi: June 2, 2026

Last update for Peshawar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in Karachi and $119 in Peshawar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karachi pays 5% 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: $12.00 in Karachi vs $11.00 in Peshawar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97.0 vs $82.0 per month, with Peshawar 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 Peshawar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi and Peshawar differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($477 vs $379 including rent). Peshawar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Karachi pays 5% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $122 in Karachi versus $119 in Peshawar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $477 per month in Karachi versus $379 in Peshawar – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Peshawar runs roughly 9% less than in Karachi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Peshawar 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 Peshawar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.