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: $407 in Karak versus $477 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $583 in Karak versus $727 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $759 in Karak versus $978 in Karachi.

Living in Karak costs roughly 15% less than in Karachi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karak 70% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.74 PKR 205

$2.14 PKR 595

-65.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.00 PKR 1,948

$12.44 PKR 3,461

-43.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 PKR 1,467

$4.06 PKR 1,129

29.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 PKR 189

$1.99 PKR 553

-65.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$5.22 PKR 1,451

-23.37%

Cappuccino

$0.51 PKR 141

$1.89 PKR 525

-73.02%

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

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.36 PKR 101

-5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.9

$0.23 PKR 64.2

4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 PKR 277

$0.83 PKR 231

20.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.58 PKR 161

-12.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 288

$1.13 PKR 315

-7.96%

Eggs

$1.09 PKR 303

$1.21 PKR 337

-9.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.81 PKR 503

$6.29 PKR 1,749

-71.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.82 PKR 784

$3.19 PKR 887

-11.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.29 PKR 1,194

$4.91 PKR 1,365

-12.63%

Apples (1kg)

$0.72 PKR 201

$1.03 PKR 287

-30.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.58 PKR 162

-5.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 PKR 202

$0.93 PKR 258

-22.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$0.56 PKR 156

-1.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.39 PKR 108

-2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.51 PKR 141

11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.17 PKR 46.89

$0.38 PKR 107

-55.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.6

$0.43 PKR 120

-44.19%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.34 PKR 373

$1.28 PKR 356

4.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PKR 253

$1.26 PKR 351

-27.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 PKR 552

$2.08 PKR 580

-4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 PKR 595

$2.08 PKR 580

2.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.76

$0.34 PKR 94.4

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.23 PKR 2,010

$6.33 PKR 1,762

14.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 240

$0.74 PKR 205

16.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.61 PKR 171

-27.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 PKR 791

$1.79 PKR 497

58.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 269

$0.92 PKR 256

5.43%

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

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

31.65%

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

$26.4K PKR 7.4M

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

8.01%

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

$113 PKR 31.6K

$132 PKR 36.8K

-14.23%

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

$5.36 PKR 1,491

$4.90 PKR 1,362

9.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.48 PKR 5,141

$13.63 PKR 3,791

35.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.19 PKR 3,391

$15.55 PKR 4,325

-21.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.05 PKR 1,684

$14.33 PKR 3,986

-57.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 PKR 1,174

$4.33 PKR 1,203

-2.54%

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

$59.1 PKR 16.5K

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

2.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,129 PKR 314.1K

$1,402 PKR 389.9K

-19.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.57 PKR 6,001

$17.73 PKR 4,932

21.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.73 PKR 7,714

$25.51 PKR 7,097

8.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 PKR 25.1K

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

40.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.80 PKR 11.4K

$35.86 PKR 9,976

13.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

$122 PKR 33.8K

-39.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

-30.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.5K

$323 PKR 89.8K

-48.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 PKR 29.1K

$182 PKR 50.6K

-42.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,127 PKR 313.5K

$985 PKR 273.9K

14.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$580 PKR 161.3K

$457 PKR 127.3K

26.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 PKR 50.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

17.8

13.48%

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

Last update for Karak: May 30, 2026

Last update for Karachi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.7 in Karak and $122 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $7.00 in Karak vs $12.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $74.0 vs $97.0 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 17% in total monthly costs ($407 vs $477 including rent). Karak is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $610 in Karak and $715 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: $73.7 in Karak versus $122 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $407 per month in Karak versus $477 in Karachi – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karak runs roughly 14% 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 17% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.