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: $399 in Karak versus $484 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $580 in Karak versus $735 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $760 in Karak versus $987 in Karachi.

Living in Karak costs roughly 17% less than in Karachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.69 PKR 192

$2.06 PKR 572

-66.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$6.88 PKR 1,909

$12.56 PKR 3,487

-45.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 PKR 1,514

$3.99 PKR 1,108

36.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 PKR 193

$1.93 PKR 537

-64.25%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

$5.27 PKR 1,463

-24.10%

Cappuccino

$0.51 PKR 142

$1.81 PKR 502

-71.82%

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

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.33 PKR 92.7

12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.0

$0.21 PKR 58.0

4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 PKR 280

$0.79 PKR 220

27.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 151

$0.58 PKR 161

-6.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 300

$1.18 PKR 328

-8.47%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 300

$1.15 PKR 321

-6.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.72 PKR 478

$6.41 PKR 1,781

-73.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 PKR 767

$3.12 PKR 867

-11.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.28 PKR 1,189

$5.09 PKR 1,413

-15.91%

Apples (1kg)

$0.72 PKR 200

$1.03 PKR 286

-30.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.60 PKR 166

-15.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.92 PKR 257

-20.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 164

$0.57 PKR 159

3.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.35 PKR 98.2

11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$0.50 PKR 140

8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.19 PKR 52.6

$0.36 PKR 99.8

-47.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.2

$0.41 PKR 113

-41.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.42 PKR 393

$1.25 PKR 346

13.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PKR 243

$1.32 PKR 367

-33.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

$2.06 PKR 572

-1.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 PKR 602

$2.16 PKR 599

0.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.0

$0.33 PKR 92.7

-39.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.02 PKR 1,948

$6.43 PKR 1,785

9.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 235

$0.74 PKR 206

14.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 113

$0.61 PKR 170

-32.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 PKR 803

$1.74 PKR 484

66.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 267

$0.94 PKR 261

2.13%

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

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

29.11%

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

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

5.41%

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

$111 PKR 30.8K

$134 PKR 37.3K

-17.47%

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

$5.58 PKR 1,549

$5.00 PKR 1,388

11.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.84 PKR 5,232

$13.28 PKR 3,689

41.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.33 PKR 3,425

$15.87 PKR 4,406

-22.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.91 PKR 1,640

$14.35 PKR 3,984

-58.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,169

$4.34 PKR 1,206

-3.00%

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

$60.6 PKR 16.8K

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

3.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

$1,356 PKR 376.6K

-18.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.53 PKR 5,979

$17.71 PKR 4,919

21.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.08 PKR 7,796

$25.79 PKR 7,162

8.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 PKR 24.6K

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

37.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 PKR 11.1K

$35.84 PKR 9,953

11.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

$118 PKR 32.8K

-36.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.1 PKR 14.5K

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

-30.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 PKR 46.2K

$319 PKR 88.6K

-47.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.2K

$181 PKR 50.3K

-42.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,009 PKR 280.1K

$932 PKR 258.7K

8.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$434 PKR 120.5K

$433 PKR 120.3K

0.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 PKR 49.1K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.1 in Karak and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $7.00 in Karak vs $13.00 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 21% in total monthly costs ($399 vs $484 including rent). Karak is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $599 in Karak and $726 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: $75.1 in Karak versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $399 per month in Karak versus $484 in Karachi – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karak runs roughly 9% 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 21% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.