Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Tagum City

For one person, living is cheaper in Tagum City: $437 a month against $482 in Karachi, rent and utilities included – about $540 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Tagum City
Learn more

Tagum City Living Index

Jump to prices

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$482

/mo nomad

Tagum City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$437

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Tagum City

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 Tagum City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $482 in Karachi versus $437 in Tagum City.

Karachi $482
Tagum City $437

Estimated couple costs with rent: $750 in Karachi versus $541 in Tagum City.

Karachi $750
Tagum City $541

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,018 in Karachi versus $645 in Tagum City.

Karachi $1,018
Tagum City $645

Living in Karachi is roughly 10% more expensive than in Tagum City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 64% lower, Tagum City 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 588

$5.50 ₱346

-61.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.30 PKR 3,680

$12.68 ₱799

4.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 PKR 1,508

$5.05 ₱318

7.92%

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

$2.29 ₱144

-8.73%

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

$0.40 PKR 111

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 71.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 ₱117

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₱90.9

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 254

$1.62 ₱102

-43.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 PKR 345

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 341

$1.88 ₱119

-34.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.67 PKR 1,570

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 PKR 876

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.28 PKR 1,737

$8.06 ₱507

-22.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 348

$6.41 ₱404

-80.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 148

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 276

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 154

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.4

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 95.1

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 PKR 116

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 121

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

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ₱86.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 77.0

$0.25 ₱15.76

12.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,764

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 256

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 193

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 PKR 597

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 PKR 382

$1.37 ₱86.2

0.73%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

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

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$55.7 ₱3,506

103.72%

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

$5.95 PKR 1,648

$8.09 ₱510

-26.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.16 PKR 3,642

$27.46 ₱1,729

-52.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.55 PKR 5,965

$23.71 ₱1,493

-9.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.23 PKR 5,044

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,165

$3.28 ₱206

28.35%

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

$52.2 PKR 14.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,940 PKR 537.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.55 PKR 4,858

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.51 PKR 6,506

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 PKR 19.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.59 PKR 11.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.7K

$159 ₱9,992

-25.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

$129 ₱8,124

-42.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 PKR 98.9K

$323 ₱20.3K

10.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,060 PKR 293.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$481 PKR 133.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 PKR 50.6K

$203 ₱12.8K

-9.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

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

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Tagum City: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karachi

$133 27.5%

Tagum City

$91 20.9% 31.2% $41

Groceries & Markets

Karachi

$101 21%

Tagum City

$87 * 19.9% 14.2% $14

Accommodation & Living

Karachi

$74 15.3%

Tagum City

$129 29.5% 75.3% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Karachi

$68 14.1%

Tagum City

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Karachi

$61 12.7%

Tagum City

$99 * 22.6% 61.7% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Karachi

$30 6.2%

Tagum City

$30 6.9% 1% $0.3

Getting Around

Karachi

$16 3.2%

Tagum City

$1 * 0.2% 93.6% $15

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Karachi and $159 in Tagum City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tagum City pays 11% 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 $13.00 in Tagum City. Groceries flip the comparison at $101 vs $87.0, with Tagum City cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Karachi

🇵🇭 Tagum City

🕒 Local time

08:00 8:00 AM

11:00 11:00 AM

3 h ahead of Karachi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,910,352

296,202

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Karachi Tagum City 6,520 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Karachi
Tagum City

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 Tagum City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi and Tagum City differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($482 vs $437 including rent). Tagum City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Tagum City. 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 $159 in Tagum City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tagum City – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $13.00 in Karachi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $482 per month in Karachi versus $437 in Tagum City – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Tagum City 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.

Safety-wise, Karachi and Tagum City 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 Tagum City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.