Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Port Hedland

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $2,594 in Port Hedland, rent and utilities included – about $25,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Karachi
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$482
/mo nomad
Port Hedland
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,594
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Port Hedland

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 Port Hedland actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $482 in Karachi versus $2,594 in Port Hedland.

  • Karachi $482
  • Port Hedland $2,594

Estimated couple costs with rent: $750 in Karachi versus $3,652 in Port Hedland.

  • Karachi $750
  • Port Hedland $3,652

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,018 in Karachi versus $4,709 in Port Hedland.

  • Karachi $1,018
  • Port Hedland $4,709

Living in Karachi costs roughly 81% less than in Port Hedland, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Karachi is 64% below, Port Hedland is 92% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karachi
Port Hedland
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 PKR 588
$17.23 A$24.80
-87.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.30 PKR 3,680
$85.1 A$122
-84.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.45 PKR 1,508
$11.35 A$16.33
-51.98%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 PKR 607
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.24 PKR 2,005
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.09 PKR 579
$3.86 A$5.56
-45.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 PKR 111
$2.74 A$3.94
-85.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 PKR 71.1
$2.10 A$3.03
-87.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$7.54 A$10.85
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.86 A$11.32
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karachi
Port Hedland
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 PKR 254
$1.50 A$2.16
-38.67%
White Bread (500g)
$0.56 PKR 156
$3.05 A$4.38
-81.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.25 PKR 345
$2.04 A$2.94
-38.73%
Eggs
$1.23 PKR 341
$4.13 A$5.94
-70.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.67 PKR 1,570
$9.57 A$13.78
-40.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.16 PKR 876
$10.36 A$14.91
-69.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.28 PKR 1,737
$12.90 A$18.57
-51.32%
Apples (1kg)
$1.26 PKR 348
$3.80 A$5.47
-66.84%
Banana (1kg)
$0.53 PKR 148
$2.64 A$3.80
-79.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.00 PKR 276
$3.25 A$4.67
-69.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.56 PKR 154
$5.08 A$7.31
-88.98%
Potato (1kg)
$0.33 PKR 91.4
$2.97 A$4.27
-88.89%
Onion (1kg)
$0.34 PKR 95.1
$2.17 A$3.12
-84.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.42 PKR 116
$2.18 A$3.14
-80.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 PKR 121
$1.58 A$2.27
-72.15%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.25 PKR 346
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 PKR 365
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 PKR 670
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.84 PKR 509
$40.75 A$58.6
-95.48%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$14.53 A$20.91
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$4.39 A$6.32
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.85 A$8.42
-
🚌 Getting Around
Karachi
Port Hedland
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 PKR 77.0
$2.96 A$4.26
-90.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.99 PKR 2,764
$76.7 A$110
-86.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.92 PKR 256
$3.71 A$5.33
-75.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.70 PKR 193
$1.54 A$2.21
-54.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.16 PKR 597
$36.67 A$52.8
-94.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 PKR 382
$1.32 A$1.90
4.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9K PKR 5.0M
$23.8K A$34.3K
-24.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K PKR 7.5M
$32.9K A$47.3K
-17.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karachi
Port Hedland
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$113 PKR 31.4K
$191 A$275
-40.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.95 PKR 1,648
$26.00 A$37.41
-77.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.16 PKR 3,642
$57.6 A$82.9
-77.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karachi
Port Hedland
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$21.55 PKR 5,965
$51.3 A$73.8
-57.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.23 PKR 5,044
$17.58 A$25.30
3.70%
Cinema Ticket
$4.21 PKR 1,165
$15.76 A$22.68
-73.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karachi
Port Hedland
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$52.2 PKR 14.4K
$2,173 A$3,126
-97.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,940 PKR 537.0K
$17.4K A$25.0K
-88.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karachi
Port Hedland
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.55 PKR 4,858
$74.7 A$108
-76.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.51 PKR 6,506
$60.0 A$86.3
-60.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.9 PKR 19.1K
$104 A$150
-33.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.59 PKR 11.2K
$117 A$168
-65.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karachi
Port Hedland
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$118 PKR 32.7K
$1,374 A$1,977
-91.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$73.6 PKR 20.4K
$1,319 A$1,899
-94.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$357 PKR 98.9K
$2,140 A$3,080
-83.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$188 PKR 52.0K
$1,831 A$2,634
-89.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,060 PKR 293.4K
$6,259 A$9,007
-83.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$481 PKR 133.1K
$4,371 A$6,291
-89.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karachi
Port Hedland
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$183 PKR 50.6K
$5,111 A$7,355
-96.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.21
5.84
126.20%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Port Hedland: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karachi
$133
Port Hedland
$275 107% $142
Groceries & Markets
Karachi
$101
Port Hedland
$366 262% $265
Accommodation & Living
Karachi
$74
Port Hedland
$1.3K 1693% $1.2K
Clothing & Footwear
Karachi
$68
Port Hedland
$160 136% $92
Eating Out
Karachi
$61
Port Hedland
$291 376% $230
Sport & Entertainment
Karachi
$30
Port Hedland
$83 176% $53
Getting Around
Karachi
$16
Port Hedland
$100 544% $84

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Karachi and $1,374 in Port Hedland. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Hedland pays 2694% 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 $85.0 in Port Hedland for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $366 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Karachi
🇦🇺 Port Hedland
🕒 Local time
02:46 2:46 AM
05:46 5:46 AM
3 h ahead of Karachi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
14,910,352
15,298
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Karachi Port Hedland 7,500 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Karachi
  • Port Hedland

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 Port Hedland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Karachi and in Port Hedland?
Karachi and Port Hedland differ by about 439% in total monthly costs ($482 vs $2,594 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 2694% lower in Port Hedland. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Karachi and in Port Hedland?
Rent for a central apartment: $118 in Karachi versus $1,374 in Port Hedland. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Karachi or Port Hedland?
All in, you'll spend $482 per month in Karachi versus $2,594 in Port Hedland – a 439% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Karachi and in Port Hedland?
A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 668% less than in Port Hedland. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $482 in Karachi versus $2,594 in Port Hedland, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karachi but tight or insufficient in Port Hedland. The gap between the two cities makes Karachi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Karachi and Port Hedland?
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.
Is Karachi or Port Hedland safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Karachi and Port Hedland are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Karachi or Port Hedland?
Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 439% less than in Port Hedland. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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