Cost of Living Comparison Between Mianwali and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Mianwali and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $421 in Mianwali versus $457 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $613 in Mianwali versus $728 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $805 in Mianwali versus $999 in Karachi.

Living in Mianwali costs roughly 8% less than in Karachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mianwali 69% lower, Karachi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.58 PKR 716

$2.20 PKR 611

17.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.03 PKR 2,228

$14.33 PKR 3,974

-43.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.72 PKR 1,586

$5.27 PKR 1,462

8.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 PKR 1,004

$2.14 PKR 593

69.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 PKR 1,495

$7.36 PKR 2,040

-26.77%

Cappuccino

$1.09 PKR 304

$2.20 PKR 610

-50.45%

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

$0.26 PKR 72.2

$0.33 PKR 92.3

-21.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 PKR 52.7

$0.23 PKR 63.3

-17.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 PKR 183

$0.89 PKR 248

-25.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 PKR 143

$0.52 PKR 145

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 312

$1.24 PKR 345

-9.68%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 339

$1.21 PKR 335

0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.42 PKR 1,780

$6.19 PKR 1,715

3.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.42 PKR 395

$3.03 PKR 841

-53.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.67 PKR 1,017

$6.11 PKR 1,695

-39.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 PKR 320

$1.22 PKR 339

-4.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$0.55 PKR 153

21.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 192

$0.98 PKR 272

-29.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 126

$0.59 PKR 164

-23.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 84.1

$0.34 PKR 95.2

-11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 90.1

$0.31 PKR 85.2

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.39 PKR 109

23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.43 PKR 121

-16.28%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.10 PKR 304

$1.25 PKR 347

-12.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 PKR 171

$1.32 PKR 365

-53.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 PKR 457

$2.48 PKR 687

-33.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.07 PKR 296

$1.79 PKR 496

-40.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 48.52

$0.28 PKR 77.5

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.28 PKR 2,572

$8.20 PKR 2,274

13.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 PKR 209

$0.74 PKR 205

1.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 96.6

$0.70 PKR 194

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PKR 456

$2.20 PKR 609

-25.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 PKR 301

$1.33 PKR 369

-18.05%

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

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

-1.61%

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

$26.8K PKR 7.4M

$27.6K PKR 7.6M

-2.96%

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

$109 PKR 30.2K

$104 PKR 28.8K

4.83%

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

$3.29 PKR 913

$5.88 PKR 1,630

-44.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.15 PKR 4,478

$12.86 PKR 3,565

25.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.87 PKR 2,182

$20.32 PKR 5,633

-61.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.50 PKR 1,526

$18.66 PKR 5,174

-70.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 PKR 1,170

$4.40 PKR 1,221

-4.09%

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

$44.93 PKR 12.5K

$50.4 PKR 14.0K

-10.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,043 PKR 566.4K

$1,375 PKR 381.2K

48.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.26 PKR 3,675

$14.81 PKR 4,107

-10.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.24 PKR 3,949

$21.90 PKR 6,072

-34.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

$65.2 PKR 18.1K

12.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$8.77 PKR 2,432

$35.81 PKR 9,927

-75.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 PKR 34.6K

$111 PKR 30.8K

12.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.0 PKR 19.4K

$70.9 PKR 19.6K

-1.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 PKR 65.0K

$297 PKR 82.2K

-20.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PKR 38.5K

$180 PKR 49.9K

-22.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$844 PKR 234.0K

$976 PKR 270.7K

-13.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$478 PKR 132.6K

$467 PKR 129.6K

2.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.22

12.88

10.40%

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

Last update for Mianwali: September 1, 2026

Last update for Karachi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $125 in Mianwali and $111 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $8.00 in Mianwali vs $14.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $81.0 vs $101 per month, with Mianwali 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

Mianwali vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mianwali and Karachi differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($421 vs $457 including rent). Mianwali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $631 in Mianwali and $685 in Karachi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $125 in Mianwali versus $111 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $421 per month in Mianwali versus $457 in Karachi – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mianwali runs roughly 13% less than in Karachi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Mianwali 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.

Expats usually find Mianwali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.