Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakpattan and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Pakpattan: $448 a month against $482 in Karachi, rent and utilities included – about $410 less a year. The total is higher in Karachi despite lower rent and utilities.

22

Cost of Living Index in Pakpattan
Learn more

Pakpattan Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
Learn more

Karachi Living Index

Jump to prices

Pakpattan

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$448

/mo nomad

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$482

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pakpattan and in Karachi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pakpattan and in Karachi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $448 in Pakpattan versus $482 in Karachi.

Pakpattan $448
Karachi $482

Estimated couple costs with rent: $637 in Pakpattan versus $750 in Karachi.

Pakpattan $637
Karachi $750

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $827 in Pakpattan versus $1,018 in Karachi.

Pakpattan $827
Karachi $1,018

Living in Pakpattan costs roughly 7% less than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pakpattan 67% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.29 PKR 357

$2.13 PKR 588

-39.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.80 PKR 2,988

$13.30 PKR 3,680

-18.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 PKR 1,486

$5.45 PKR 1,508

-1.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 PKR 744

$2.19 PKR 607

22.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 PKR 1,436

$7.24 PKR 2,005

-28.31%

Cappuccino

$1.87 PKR 518

$2.09 PKR 579

-10.53%

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

$0.17 PKR 47.31

$0.40 PKR 111

-57.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.10 PKR 28.15

$0.26 PKR 71.1

-61.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 PKR 172

$0.92 PKR 254

-32.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.56 PKR 156

-8.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 261

$1.25 PKR 345

-24.80%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 298

$1.23 PKR 341

-12.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 PKR 1,890

$5.67 PKR 1,570

20.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.49 PKR 689

$3.16 PKR 876

-21.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.71 PKR 1,028

$6.28 PKR 1,737

-40.92%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 PKR 246

$1.26 PKR 348

-29.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 130

$0.53 PKR 148

-11.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 76.6

$1.00 PKR 276

-72.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 159

$0.56 PKR 154

3.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.33 PKR 91.4

12.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 128

$0.34 PKR 95.1

35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 PKR 139

$0.42 PKR 116

19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 96.3

$0.44 PKR 121

-20.45%

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)

$0.93 PKR 257

$1.32 PKR 365

-29.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 649

$2.42 PKR 670

-2.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 PKR 610

$1.84 PKR 509

19.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 47.99

$0.28 PKR 77.0

-39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.17 PKR 3,092

$9.99 PKR 2,764

11.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 PKR 388

$0.92 PKR 256

52.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.70 PKR 193

-47.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 PKR 246

$2.16 PKR 597

-58.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.38 PKR 382

-26.09%

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

$24.9K PKR 6.9M

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

39.03%

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

$26.4K PKR 7.3M

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

-2.39%

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

$147 PKR 40.8K

$113 PKR 31.4K

29.84%

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

$5.02 PKR 1,388

$5.95 PKR 1,648

-15.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.95 PKR 5,246

$13.16 PKR 3,642

44.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.93 PKR 4,132

$21.55 PKR 5,965

-30.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.71 PKR 2,134

$18.23 PKR 5,044

-57.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,202

$4.21 PKR 1,165

3.09%

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

$12.74 PKR 3,525

$52.2 PKR 14.4K

-75.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,027 PKR 284.3K

$1,940 PKR 537.0K

-47.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.66 PKR 2,950

$17.55 PKR 4,858

-39.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.80 PKR 3,544

$23.51 PKR 6,506

-45.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.60 PKR 7,086

$68.9 PKR 19.1K

-62.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.50 PKR 4,014

$40.59 PKR 11.2K

-64.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 PKR 32.2K

$118 PKR 32.7K

-1.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 PKR 21.2K

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

3.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$256 PKR 70.9K

$357 PKR 98.9K

-28.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 PKR 41.9K

$188 PKR 52.0K

-19.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,069 PKR 295.8K

$1,060 PKR 293.4K

0.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$530 PKR 146.8K

$481 PKR 133.1K

10.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$107 PKR 29.7K

$183 PKR 50.6K

-41.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

-1.59%

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

Last update for Pakpattan: October 12, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pakpattan

$171 38.2%

Karachi

$133 27.5% 22.6% $39

Groceries & Markets

Pakpattan

$83 18.5%

Karachi

$101 21% 22.1% $18

Accommodation & Living

Pakpattan

$76 17.1%

Karachi

$74 15.3% 3.7% $2.8

Eating Out

Pakpattan

$50 11.2%

Karachi

$61 12.7% 22.3% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Pakpattan

$29 6.4%

Karachi

$68 14.1% 137% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Pakpattan

$24 5.3%

Karachi

$30 6.2% 26.9% $6.3

Getting Around

Pakpattan

$15 3.4%

Karachi

$16 3.2% 2.5% $0.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $116 in Pakpattan and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karachi pays 70% 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: $11.00 in Pakpattan vs $13.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $83.0 vs $101 per month, with Pakpattan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Pakpattan

🇵🇰 Karachi

🕒 Local time

04:08 4:08 AM

Same time as Pakpattan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

176,693

14,910,352

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Pakpattan Karachi 870 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Pakpattan
Karachi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Pakpattan vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pakpattan and Karachi differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($448 vs $482 including rent). Pakpattan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 70% lower in Karachi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $116 in Pakpattan versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $448 per month in Pakpattan versus $482 in Karachi – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pakpattan 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 $800 a month, though Pakpattan 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 Pakpattan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.