Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $484 in Lahore versus $484 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $727 in Lahore versus $735 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $970 in Lahore versus $987 in Karachi.

Monthly costs are close between Lahore and Karachi; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 580

$2.06 PKR 572

1.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.06 PKR 3,903

$12.56 PKR 3,487

11.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.35 PKR 1,207

$3.99 PKR 1,108

9.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PKR 765

$1.93 PKR 537

42.49%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 PKR 1,018

$5.27 PKR 1,463

-30.55%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.81 PKR 503

32.04%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.7

$0.33 PKR 92.7

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.3

$0.21 PKR 58.0

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.79 PKR 220

18.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.58 PKR 161

-1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.18 PKR 328

2.54%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.15 PKR 321

5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.18 PKR 1,717

$6.41 PKR 1,781

-3.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 PKR 839

$3.12 PKR 867

-3.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.55 PKR 1,263

$5.09 PKR 1,413

-10.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 293

$1.03 PKR 286

2.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.60 PKR 166

5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 169

$0.92 PKR 257

-33.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.57 PKR 159

-17.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.35 PKR 98.2

2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 132

$0.50 PKR 140

-4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.36 PKR 99.8

30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 98.3

$0.41 PKR 113

-14.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.25 PKR 346

-11.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 PKR 143

$1.32 PKR 367

-61.36%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 306

$2.06 PKR 573

-46.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 546

$2.16 PKR 599

-8.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 51.2

$0.33 PKR 92.7

-45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.92 PKR 1,922

$6.43 PKR 1,785

7.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 202

$0.74 PKR 206

-1.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.61 PKR 170

-19.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 PKR 501

$1.74 PKR 484

3.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$0.94 PKR 261

2.13%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

4.43%

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

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

-7.27%

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

$141 PKR 39.2K

$134 PKR 37.3K

5.08%

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

$5.31 PKR 1,473

$5.00 PKR 1,388

6.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 PKR 4,811

$13.28 PKR 3,689

30.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.73 PKR 3,813

$15.87 PKR 4,406

-13.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 PKR 1,649

$14.35 PKR 3,984

-58.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,191

$4.34 PKR 1,206

-1.15%

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

$34.60 PKR 9,608

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

-41.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,253 PKR 347.9K

$1,356 PKR 376.6K

-7.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.40 PKR 4,276

$17.71 PKR 4,919

-13.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.27 PKR 6,462

$25.79 PKR 7,163

-9.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

11.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.56 PKR 8,486

$35.84 PKR 9,953

-14.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 PKR 33.3K

$118 PKR 32.8K

1.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

1.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 PKR 80.9K

$319 PKR 88.6K

-8.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.2K

$181 PKR 50.3K

3.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$844 PKR 234.5K

$932 PKR 258.7K

-9.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 PKR 163.7K

$433 PKR 120.3K

36.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.5K

$177 PKR 49.1K

4.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

17.8

11.69%

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

Last update for Lahore: July 12, 2026

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $120 in Lahore and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lahore pays 5% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $14.00 in Lahore vs $13.00 in Karachi. Groceries flip the comparison at $94.0 vs $97.0, with Lahore cheaper for home cooking.

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

Lahore vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 5% higher in Lahore, 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: $120 in Lahore versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lahore runs roughly 8% less than in Karachi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Karachi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Lahore 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.

It comes down to priorities – Lahore wins on affordability, Karachi on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.