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: $456 in Mianwali versus $484 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $665 in Mianwali versus $735 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $874 in Mianwali versus $987 in Karachi.

Living in Mianwali costs roughly 6% less than in Karachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mianwali 66% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 PKR 585

$2.06 PKR 572

2.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.07 PKR 3,906

$12.56 PKR 3,487

12.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 PKR 1,189

$3.99 PKR 1,108

7.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 PKR 798

$1.93 PKR 537

48.70%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 PKR 1,041

$5.27 PKR 1,463

-28.84%

Cappuccino

$2.35 PKR 652

$1.81 PKR 502

29.83%

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

$0.20 PKR 54.6

$0.33 PKR 92.7

-39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.2

$0.21 PKR 58.0

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 PKR 185

$0.79 PKR 220

-15.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.58 PKR 161

-1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 PKR 249

$1.18 PKR 328

-23.73%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 326

$1.15 PKR 321

1.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,696

$6.41 PKR 1,781

-4.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 PKR 811

$3.12 PKR 867

-6.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.42 PKR 1,227

$5.09 PKR 1,413

-13.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 282

$1.03 PKR 286

-0.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 168

$0.92 PKR 257

-34.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.22 PKR 61.2

$0.57 PKR 159

-61.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 97.6

$0.35 PKR 98.2

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.50 PKR 140

-28.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PKR 125

$0.36 PKR 99.8

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.41 PKR 113

-7.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.05 PKR 291

$1.25 PKR 346

-16.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 PKR 142

$1.32 PKR 367

-61.36%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 308

$2.06 PKR 572

-46.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 PKR 525

$2.16 PKR 599

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 44.36

$0.33 PKR 92.7

-51.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.15 PKR 1,986

$6.43 PKR 1,785

11.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.74 PKR 206

-1.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 PKR 148

$0.61 PKR 170

-13.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 PKR 504

$1.74 PKR 484

4.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 252

$0.94 PKR 261

-3.19%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

3.99%

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

$23.2K PKR 6.4M

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

-8.11%

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

$141 PKR 39.1K

$134 PKR 37.3K

4.73%

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

$3.63 PKR 1,009

$5.00 PKR 1,388

-27.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.00 PKR 4,721

$13.28 PKR 3,689

28.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.23 PKR 3,396

$15.87 PKR 4,406

-22.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.86 PKR 1,626

$14.35 PKR 3,984

-59.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 PKR 1,171

$4.34 PKR 1,206

-2.76%

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

$35.40 PKR 9,829

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

-39.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,233 PKR 342.5K

$1,356 PKR 376.6K

-9.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.97 PKR 4,156

$17.71 PKR 4,919

-15.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.37 PKR 6,490

$25.79 PKR 7,162

-9.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 PKR 20.2K

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

13.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.12 PKR 8,364

$35.84 PKR 9,953

-15.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.7 PKR 20.8K

$118 PKR 32.8K

-36.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.3 PKR 14.2K

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

-31.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.4K

$319 PKR 88.6K

-48.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.1K

$181 PKR 50.3K

-42.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$858 PKR 238.1K

$932 PKR 258.7K

-7.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$412 PKR 114.4K

$433 PKR 120.3K

-4.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 PKR 49.1K

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 Mianwali: July 13, 2026

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $74.7 in Mianwali and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Mianwali vs $13.00 in Karachi. Groceries flip the comparison at $87.0 vs $97.0, with Mianwali 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

Mianwali vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mianwali and Karachi differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($456 vs $484 including rent). Mianwali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $685 in Mianwali and $726 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: $74.7 in Mianwali versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $456 per month in Mianwali versus $484 in Karachi – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mianwali runs roughly 11% 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 6% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.