Cost of Living Comparison Between Multan and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Multan and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $406 in Multan versus $484 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $615 in Multan versus $735 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $824 in Multan versus $987 in Karachi.

Living in Multan costs roughly 16% less than in Karachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Multan 70% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 PKR 573

$2.06 PKR 571

0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.62 PKR 2,390

$12.56 PKR 3,482

-31.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 PKR 1,430

$3.99 PKR 1,107

29.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 486

$1.93 PKR 536

-9.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 PKR 894

$5.27 PKR 1,461

-38.90%

Cappuccino

$1.43 PKR 397

$1.81 PKR 502

-20.99%

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

$0.30 PKR 84.2

$0.33 PKR 92.6

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 55.5

$0.21 PKR 58.0

-4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 PKR 163

$0.79 PKR 220

-25.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.58 PKR 161

-3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 290

$1.18 PKR 328

-11.02%

Eggs

$1.03 PKR 285

$1.15 PKR 320

-10.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.76 PKR 1,321

$6.41 PKR 1,779

-25.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 PKR 720

$3.12 PKR 866

-16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.08 PKR 855

$5.09 PKR 1,411

-39.49%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 274

$1.03 PKR 286

-3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 PKR 188

$0.60 PKR 166

13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$0.92 PKR 256

-38.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$0.57 PKR 159

-14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 105

$0.35 PKR 98.1

8.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.50 PKR 140

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 PKR 167

$0.36 PKR 99.6

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 98.6

$0.41 PKR 113

-12.20%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 PKR 502

$1.25 PKR 346

44.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 PKR 435

$1.32 PKR 367

18.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 PKR 509

$2.06 PKR 572

-11.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 PKR 533

$2.16 PKR 598

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.1

$0.33 PKR 92.6

-42.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 PKR 1,989

$6.43 PKR 1,783

11.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 PKR 288

$0.74 PKR 206

40.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 PKR 85.1

$0.61 PKR 170

-49.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 PKR 394

$1.74 PKR 483

-18.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 274

$0.94 PKR 261

5.32%

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

$22.2K PKR 6.2M

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

32.82%

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

$22.5K PKR 6.2M

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

-10.87%

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

$105 PKR 29.0K

$134 PKR 37.3K

-22.20%

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

$4.92 PKR 1,363

$5.00 PKR 1,386

-1.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.89 PKR 3,852

$13.28 PKR 3,684

4.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.04 PKR 5,002

$15.87 PKR 4,401

13.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.58 PKR 3,490

$14.35 PKR 3,979

-12.33%

Cinema Ticket

$2.63 PKR 730

$4.34 PKR 1,205

-39.40%

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

$36.34 PKR 10.1K

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

-38.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,754 PKR 486.5K

$1,356 PKR 376.2K

29.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.64 PKR 4,616

$17.71 PKR 4,912

-6.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.32 PKR 7,576

$25.79 PKR 7,153

5.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 PKR 19.5K

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

9.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.67 PKR 8,228

$35.84 PKR 9,940

-17.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$86.9 PKR 24.1K

$118 PKR 32.8K

-26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.5 PKR 16.0K

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

-22.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$175 PKR 48.5K

$319 PKR 88.5K

-45.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 PKR 34.7K

$181 PKR 50.2K

-30.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 PKR 258.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$433 PKR 120.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 PKR 50.7K

$177 PKR 49.1K

3.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.43

17.8

-2.08%

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

Last update for Multan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $86.9 in Multan and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Multan pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Multan vs $13.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $79.0 vs $97.0 per month, with Multan 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

Multan vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Multan and Karachi differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($406 vs $484 including rent). Multan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Multan, 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: $86.9 in Multan versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $406 per month in Multan versus $484 in Karachi – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Multan runs roughly 12% less than in Karachi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Multan 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 Multan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.