Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $475 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $735 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $995 in Karachi.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 377% more expensive than in Karachi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Karachi is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.13

$2.11 PKR 584

731.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$14.17 PKR 3,924

355.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$5.56 PKR 1,540

109.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 PKR 591

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 PKR 1,988

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.29 PKR 633

42.36%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.38 PKR 106

555.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.24 PKR 66.0

595.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.85 PKR 237

38.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.57 PKR 157

242.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.22 PKR 337

27.87%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.22 PKR 339

228.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.45

$6.08 PKR 1,684

118.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$3.14 PKR 870

168.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$6.25 PKR 1,732

191.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.22 PKR 339

90.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.59 PKR 163

193.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$0.99 PKR 274

94.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$0.56 PKR 154

371.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.35 PKR 95.7

442.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.33 PKR 91.5

539.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.36 PKR 101

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.40 PKR 111

100.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 PKR 357

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 367

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 PKR 692

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$1.79 PKR 496

291.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.30 PKR 83.7

693.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.86

$7.95 PKR 2,201

481.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.70 PKR 195

498.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.73 PKR 203

50.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$2.12 PKR 587

714.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.34 PKR 371

67.91%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

91.40%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$27.2K PKR 7.5M

52.95%

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

$171 €147

$110 PKR 30.5K

55.33%

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

$19.01 €16.39

$5.71 PKR 1,582

232.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.56

$13.12 PKR 3,634

161.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.81

$21.28 PKR 5,896

133.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.82

$18.76 PKR 5,198

4.00%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$4.20 PKR 1,164

140.48%

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

$699 €603

$50.3 PKR 13.9K

1289.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$1,589 PKR 440.2K

1018.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$15.49 PKR 4,290

575.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.36

$22.03 PKR 6,104

117.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$67.7 PKR 18.7K

50.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$38.00 PKR 10.5K

237.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,433

$108 PKR 29.8K

1444.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$71.6 PKR 19.8K

1614.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,514

$323 PKR 89.4K

802.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,745

$184 PKR 51.0K

1000.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,010

$1,036 PKR 287.0K

684.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,997

$470 PKR 130.2K

886.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$182 PKR 50.4K

790.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

12.88

-70.65%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Karachi: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $108 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 790% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $14.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $101 per month, with Karachi 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

Lisbon vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Karachi differ by about 377% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $475 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 790% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $108 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $475 in Karachi – a 377% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 481% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $475 in Karachi versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karachi but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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, Lisbon 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 377% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.