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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $477 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $727 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $978 in Karachi.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 364% more expensive than Karachi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Karachi is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$2.14 PKR 595

643.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$12.44 PKR 3,461

420.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$4.06 PKR 1,129

158.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PKR 553

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 PKR 1,451

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.89 PKR 525

51.85%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.36 PKR 101

522.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.23 PKR 64.2

552.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.83 PKR 231

37.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.58 PKR 161

201.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.13 PKR 315

55.75%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.21 PKR 337

166.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$6.29 PKR 1,749

114.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.19 PKR 887

147.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$4.91 PKR 1,365

223.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.03 PKR 287

124.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.58 PKR 162

193.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.93 PKR 258

116.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.56 PKR 156

339.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.39 PKR 108

371.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.51 PKR 141

292.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.38 PKR 107

407.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.43 PKR 120

83.72%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 PKR 356

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 PKR 351

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 PKR 580

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$2.08 PKR 580

217.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.34 PKR 94.4

597.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$6.33 PKR 1,762

619.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.74 PKR 205

479.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.61 PKR 171

34.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$1.79 PKR 497

922.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.92 PKR 256

123.91%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

109.00%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

60.55%

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

$148 €127

$132 PKR 36.8K

11.77%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$4.90 PKR 1,362

318.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$13.63 PKR 3,791

190.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$15.55 PKR 4,325

207.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$14.33 PKR 3,986

32.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$4.33 PKR 1,203

112.01%

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

$614 €529

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

959.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$1,402 PKR 389.9K

1045.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$17.73 PKR 4,932

490.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$25.51 PKR 7,097

64.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

46.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$35.86 PKR 9,975

233.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$122 PKR 33.8K

1238.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

1597.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$323 PKR 89.8K

838.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$182 PKR 50.6K

1010.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$985 PKR 273.9K

692.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$457 PKR 127.2K

834.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$181 PKR 50.2K

788.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

17.8

-78.60%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Karachi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $122 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 788% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $12.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $97.0 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 364% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $477 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 788% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $122 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $477 in Karachi – a 364% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 620% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $477 in Karachi versus $2,210 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 364% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.