Cost of Living Comparison Between Karak and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Karak and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $428 in Karak versus $457 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $625 in Karak versus $728 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $822 in Karak versus $999 in Karachi.

Living in Karak costs roughly 6% less than in Karachi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karak 69% lower, Karachi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.75 PKR 207

$2.20 PKR 611

-65.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.31 PKR 2,027

$14.33 PKR 3,974

-48.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 PKR 1,527

$5.27 PKR 1,462

4.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.75 PKR 207

$2.14 PKR 593

-64.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 PKR 1,879

$7.36 PKR 2,040

-7.88%

Cappuccino

$0.56 PKR 155

$2.20 PKR 610

-74.55%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.9

$0.33 PKR 92.3

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.7

$0.23 PKR 63.3

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.89 PKR 248

5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.52 PKR 145

9.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 PKR 302

$1.24 PKR 345

-12.10%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.21 PKR 335

-8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.77 PKR 490

$6.19 PKR 1,715

-71.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 PKR 795

$3.03 PKR 841

-5.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,205

$6.11 PKR 1,695

-28.81%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$1.22 PKR 339

-43.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.55 PKR 153

-5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.98 PKR 272

-25.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.59 PKR 164

-18.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$0.34 PKR 95.2

-14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 89.6

$0.31 PKR 85.2

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.16 PKR 43.33

$0.39 PKR 109

-58.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 72.7

$0.43 PKR 121

-39.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 PKR 512

$1.25 PKR 347

48.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 368

$1.32 PKR 365

0.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 676

$2.48 PKR 687

-1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 PKR 638

$1.79 PKR 496

28.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.06

$0.28 PKR 77.5

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.59 PKR 2,383

$8.20 PKR 2,274

4.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 PKR 355

$0.74 PKR 205

72.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.70 PKR 194

4.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 PKR 437

$2.20 PKR 609

-28.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PKR 347

$1.33 PKR 369

-6.02%

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

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

21.13%

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

$25.5K PKR 7.1M

$27.6K PKR 7.6M

-7.36%

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

$103 PKR 28.5K

$104 PKR 28.8K

-0.78%

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

$5.81 PKR 1,611

$5.88 PKR 1,630

-1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.19 PKR 4,489

$12.86 PKR 3,565

25.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.60 PKR 4,601

$20.32 PKR 5,633

-18.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 PKR 5,174

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 PKR 1,326

$4.40 PKR 1,221

8.64%

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

$75.3 PKR 20.9K

$50.4 PKR 14.0K

49.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$996 PKR 276.1K

$1,375 PKR 381.2K

-27.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.90 PKR 6,626

$14.81 PKR 4,107

61.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.81 PKR 8,819

$21.90 PKR 6,072

45.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 PKR 22.7K

$65.2 PKR 18.1K

25.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.51 PKR 11.0K

$35.81 PKR 9,927

10.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 35.9K

$111 PKR 30.8K

16.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.3 PKR 23.4K

$70.9 PKR 19.6K

19.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 PKR 79.0K

$297 PKR 82.2K

-3.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 PKR 43.0K

$180 PKR 49.9K

-13.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$804 PKR 222.9K

$976 PKR 270.7K

-17.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$585 PKR 162.2K

$467 PKR 129.6K

25.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

12.88

1.55%

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

Last update for Karak: August 30, 2026

Last update for Karachi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Karak and $111 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $7.00 in Karak vs $14.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $74.0 vs $101 per month, with Karak 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

Karak vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karak and Karachi differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($428 vs $457 including rent). Karak is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $642 in Karak and $685 in Karachi 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: $130 in Karak versus $111 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $428 per month in Karak versus $457 in Karachi – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karak runs roughly 5% 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 Karak 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 Karak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.