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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $484 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $735 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $987 in Karachi.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 373% more expensive than in Karachi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Karachi is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$2.06 PKR 572

685.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$12.56 PKR 3,487

404.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$3.99 PKR 1,108

158.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 PKR 537

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 PKR 1,463

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.81 PKR 503

56.35%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.33 PKR 92.7

593.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.21 PKR 58.0

652.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$0.79 PKR 220

37.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.58 PKR 161

201.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.18 PKR 328

49.15%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.15 PKR 321

175.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$6.41 PKR 1,781

105.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$3.12 PKR 867

155.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$5.09 PKR 1,413

205.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.03 PKR 286

130.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.60 PKR 166

185.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.92 PKR 257

118.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.57 PKR 159

326.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.35 PKR 98.2

402.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.50 PKR 140

306.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.36 PKR 99.8

433.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.41 PKR 113

107.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 346

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 367

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 PKR 573

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.16 PKR 599

204.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.33 PKR 92.7

590.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$6.43 PKR 1,785

612.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.74 PKR 206

471.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.61 PKR 170

32.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$1.74 PKR 484

959.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.94 PKR 261

121.28%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

107.07%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

54.94%

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

$148 €130

$134 PKR 37.3K

10.19%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$5.00 PKR 1,388

309.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$13.28 PKR 3,689

197.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$15.87 PKR 4,406

202.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$14.35 PKR 3,984

29.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$4.34 PKR 1,206

112.44%

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

$616 €539

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

948.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$1,356 PKR 376.6K

1112.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$17.71 PKR 4,919

479.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$25.79 PKR 7,163

61.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

47.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$35.84 PKR 9,953

240.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$118 PKR 32.8K

1280.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

1549.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$319 PKR 88.6K

871.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$181 PKR 50.3K

1021.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$932 PKR 258.7K

740.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$433 PKR 120.3K

912.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$177 PKR 49.1K

808.17%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 808% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $13.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 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 373% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $484 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 808% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $484 in Karachi – a 373% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 612% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $484 in Karachi versus $2,291 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 373% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.