Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Xining

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $490 a month against $723 in Xining, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
Learn more

Karachi Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Xining
Learn more

Xining Living Index

Jump to prices

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$490

/mo nomad

Xining

🇨🇳 China

$723

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karachi and in Xining

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $490 in Karachi versus $723 in Xining.

Karachi $490
Xining $723

Estimated couple costs with rent: $755 in Karachi versus $1,143 in Xining.

Karachi $755
Xining $1,143

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,019 in Karachi versus $1,562 in Xining.

Karachi $1,019
Xining $1,562

Living in Karachi costs roughly 32% less than in Xining, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 63% lower, Xining 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.15 PKR 595

$2.74 ¥18.34

-21.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.37 PKR 3,699

$21.93 ¥147

-39.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 PKR 1,464

$4.86 ¥32.48

8.85%

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

$2.98 ¥19.94

-29.19%

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

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.47 ¥3.14

-21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 PKR 78.2

$0.27 ¥1.79

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ¥5.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥13.74

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 PKR 238

$1.88 ¥12.56

-54.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 PKR 144

$1.62 ¥10.82

-67.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PKR 344

$0.90 ¥6.03

37.78%

Eggs

$1.24 PKR 342

$1.54 ¥10.26

-19.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.86 PKR 1,621

$12.90 ¥86.2

-54.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 862

$3.13 ¥20.90

-0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 PKR 1,730

$10.17 ¥68.0

-38.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 356

$1.79 ¥11.97

-27.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$1.26 ¥8.44

-57.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 273

$1.48 ¥9.89

-33.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.11 ¥7.41

-49.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.6

$0.74 ¥4.91

-55.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.8

$0.92 ¥6.12

-61.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.57 ¥3.78

-21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.54 ¥3.62

-18.52%

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

$3.15 ¥21.03

-43.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 ¥69.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.58

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 PKR 76.5

$0.29 ¥1.95

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.68 PKR 2,679

$17.01 ¥114

-43.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 255

$1.42 ¥9.48

-35.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 PKR 196

$0.33 ¥2.19

115.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 PKR 615

$6.59 ¥44.01

-66.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PKR 372

$1.16 ¥7.78

16.38%

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

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

$19.4K ¥129.9K

-8.22%

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

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

$17.2K ¥114.6K

55.89%

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

$112 PKR 30.9K

$44.99 ¥301

148.50%

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

$6.05 PKR 1,673

$9.74 ¥65.1

-37.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.29 PKR 3,678

$11.84 ¥79.2

12.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.51 PKR 5,953

$41.53 ¥278

-48.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.80 PKR 4,926

$14.17 ¥94.7

25.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 PKR 1,222

$5.81 ¥38.85

-23.92%

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

$50.7 PKR 14.0K

$333 ¥2,227

-84.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,957 PKR 541.5K

$17.1K ¥114.1K

-88.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.57 PKR 4,861

$44.37 ¥297

-60.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.78 PKR 6,302

$29.89 ¥200

-23.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 PKR 18.7K

$72.9 ¥487

-7.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.97 PKR 11.3K

$72.6 ¥485

-43.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 PKR 32.4K

$273 ¥1,826

-57.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.7 PKR 20.9K

$190 ¥1,270

-60.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 PKR 101.0K

$599 ¥4,005

-39.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 PKR 50.5K

$353 ¥2,362

-48.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,054 PKR 291.5K

$3,029 ¥20.2K

-65.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$491 PKR 135.8K

$2,058 ¥13.8K

-76.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

3.89

239.59%

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

Last update for Karachi: October 4, 2026

Last update for Xining: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karachi

$131 27.3%

Xining

$67 9.4% 49.2% $65

Groceries & Markets

Karachi

$101 20.9%

Xining

$198 27.8% 96.7% $97

Accommodation & Living

Karachi

$76 15.7%

Xining

$190 26.7% 151% $114

Clothing & Footwear

Karachi

$67 13.9%

Xining

$99 13.9% 47.6% $32

Eating Out

Karachi

$61 12.7%

Xining

$84 11.8% 37.3% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Karachi

$30 6.3%

Xining

$53 7.5% 75.1% $23

Getting Around

Karachi

$15 3.2%

Xining

$21 3% 39.4% $6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Karachi and $273 in Xining. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $13.00 in Karachi vs $22.00 in Xining for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $198 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Karachi

🇨🇳 Xining

🕒 Local time

09:16 9:16 AM

12:16 12:16 PM

3 h ahead of Karachi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,910,352

2,333,700

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.134 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 310 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Karachi Xining 3,550 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Karachi
Xining

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 Xining: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi and Xining differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($490 vs $723 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $735 in Karachi and $1,085 in Xining 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: $117 in Karachi versus $273 in Xining. 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 $723 in Xining – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 76% less than in Xining. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Karachi 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 Xining 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 48% less than in Xining. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.