Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Labuan and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $1,020 in Labuan, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Labuan
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Labuan Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index

Jump to prices

Labuan

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,020

/mo nomad

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$482

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Labuan and in Karachi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Labuan and in Karachi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,020 in Labuan versus $482 in Karachi.

Labuan $1,020
Karachi $482

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,487 in Labuan versus $750 in Karachi.

Labuan $1,487
Karachi $750

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,953 in Labuan versus $1,018 in Karachi.

Labuan $1,953
Karachi $1,018

Living in Labuan is roughly 112% more expensive than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Labuan 24% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 MYR 22.53

$2.13 PKR 588

159.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.16 MYR 98.6

$13.30 PKR 3,680

81.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 MYR 27.19

$5.45 PKR 1,508

22.20%

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

$3.93 MYR 16.05

$2.09 PKR 579

88.04%

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

$1.06 MYR 4.34

$0.40 PKR 111

165.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.26 PKR 71.1

73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 MYR 15.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 18.48

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.43

$0.92 PKR 254

97.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.26

$0.56 PKR 156

85.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.07

$1.25 PKR 345

19.20%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.58

$1.23 PKR 341

70.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.82 MYR 68.6

$5.67 PKR 1,570

196.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 MYR 18.03

$3.16 PKR 876

39.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MYR 38.76

$6.28 PKR 1,737

51.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 MYR 12.95

$1.26 PKR 348

151.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MYR 7.46

$0.53 PKR 148

245.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 MYR 9.75

$1.00 PKR 276

139.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.17

$0.56 PKR 154

214.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$0.33 PKR 91.4

321.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$0.34 PKR 95.1

202.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$0.42 PKR 116

180.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.20

$0.44 PKR 121

22.73%

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)

$5.04 MYR 20.57

$1.84 PKR 509

173.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.29 MYR 66.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 MYR 13.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.90

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$0.28 PKR 77.0

178.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.66 MYR 43.48

$9.99 PKR 2,764

6.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 MYR 5.47

$0.92 PKR 256

45.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.97

$0.70 PKR 193

-31.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 MYR 26.43

$2.16 PKR 597

200.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 MYR 3.58

$1.38 PKR 382

-36.23%

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

$44.0K MYR 179.5K

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

145.82%

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

$32.5K MYR 132.7K

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

20.11%

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

$48.90 MYR 199

$113 PKR 31.4K

-56.90%

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

$9.68 MYR 39.49

$5.95 PKR 1,648

62.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.69 MYR 113

$13.16 PKR 3,642

110.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.60 MYR 170

$21.55 PKR 5,965

93.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.68 MYR 31.32

$18.23 PKR 5,044

-57.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$4.21 PKR 1,165

1.90%

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

$208 MYR 849

$52.2 PKR 14.4K

298.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,011 MYR 28.6K

$1,940 PKR 537.0K

261.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 MYR 228

$17.55 PKR 4,858

218.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.07 MYR 123

$23.51 PKR 6,506

27.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 MYR 355

$68.9 PKR 19.1K

26.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 MYR 334

$40.59 PKR 11.2K

101.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 MYR 1,768

$118 PKR 32.7K

267.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 MYR 1,397

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

365.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,614

$357 PKR 98.9K

79.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,892

$188 PKR 52.0K

146.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,282 MYR 9,308

$1,060 PKR 293.4K

115.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,136 MYR 4,636

$481 PKR 133.1K

136.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$374 MYR 1,525

$183 PKR 50.6K

104.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

13.21

-69.27%

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

Last update for Labuan: October 12, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Labuan

$342 33.6%

Karachi

$74 15.3% 78.5% $269

Groceries & Markets

Labuan

$264 25.9%

Karachi

$101 21% 61.7% $163

Eating Out

Labuan

$145 14.2%

Karachi

$61 12.7% 57.9% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Labuan

$115 11.2%

Karachi

$68 14.1% 40.9% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Labuan

$86 8.5%

Karachi

$133 27.5% 53.7% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Labuan

$50 4.9%

Karachi

$30 6.2% 40.3% $20

Getting Around

Labuan

$18 1.7%

Karachi

$16 3.2% 11.4% $2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Labuan and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Labuan pays 104% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Labuan vs $13.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $101 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Labuan

🇵🇰 Karachi

🕒 Local time

12:41 12:41 PM

09:41 9:41 AM

3 h behind Labuan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

95,120

14,910,352

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Labuan Karachi 5,580 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Labuan
Karachi

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

Labuan vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Labuan and Karachi differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($1,020 vs $482 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 104% higher in Labuan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $433 in Labuan versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,020 per month in Labuan versus $482 in Karachi – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 7% less than in Labuan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $482 in Karachi versus $1,020 in Labuan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karachi but tight or insufficient in Labuan. The gap between the two cities makes Karachi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Labuan and Karachi 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 112% less than in Labuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.