Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $490 a month against $3,040 in Perth, rent and utilities included – about $30,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Perth
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Perth Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index

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Perth

🇦🇺 Australia

$3,040

/mo nomad

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$490

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Perth 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 Perth and in Karachi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,040 in Perth versus $490 in Karachi.

Perth $3,040
Karachi $490

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Perth versus $755 in Karachi.

Perth $4,133
Karachi $755

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,226 in Perth versus $1,019 in Karachi.

Perth $5,226
Karachi $1,019

Living in Perth is roughly 520% more expensive than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Perth is 127% above, Karachi is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.12 A$28.90

$2.15 PKR 596

835.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.9 A$122

$13.37 PKR 3,700

534.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.48 A$15.05

$5.29 PKR 1,464

98.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 606

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 PKR 2,005

Cappuccino

$4.47 A$6.43

$2.11 PKR 583

111.85%

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

$2.85 A$4.09

$0.37 PKR 103

670.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 A$3.15

$0.28 PKR 78.2

682.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 A$11.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 A$11.77

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 A$2.55

$0.86 PKR 238

105.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 A$4.58

$0.52 PKR 144

513.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.82

$1.24 PKR 344

58.87%

Eggs

$5.22 A$7.49

$1.24 PKR 342

320.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 A$12.97

$5.86 PKR 1,622

54.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.11 A$13.08

$3.12 PKR 862

191.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 A$19.86

$6.25 PKR 1,730

121.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 A$6.68

$1.29 PKR 356

260.47%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.49

$0.54 PKR 150

479.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 A$4.90

$0.99 PKR 273

244.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 A$7.12

$0.56 PKR 155

785.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 A$4.06

$0.33 PKR 91.6

757.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 A$2.79

$0.35 PKR 95.8

454.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 A$3.24

$0.45 PKR 124

402.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 A$1.94

$0.44 PKR 121

206.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 PKR 341

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 PKR 380

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 676

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.49 A$61.0

$1.79 PKR 497

2273.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 A$18.19

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 A$6.14

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 A$4.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 A$3.52

$0.28 PKR 76.5

775.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.3 A$141

$9.68 PKR 2,679

915.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 A$5.09

$0.92 PKR 255

284.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 A$2.10

$0.71 PKR 196

105.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.76 A$58.5

$2.22 PKR 615

1736.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.94

$1.35 PKR 372

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

$27.3K A$39.2K

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

53.00%

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

$29.5K A$42.4K

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

10.36%

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

$198 A$284

$112 PKR 30.9K

76.73%

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

$33.36 A$47.92

$6.05 PKR 1,673

451.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 A$90.4

$13.29 PKR 3,679

373.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 A$82.3

$21.51 PKR 5,954

166.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 A$30.97

$17.80 PKR 4,927

21.12%

Cinema Ticket

$17.16 A$24.64

$4.42 PKR 1,222

288.24%

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

$2,277 A$3,271

$50.7 PKR 14.0K

4388.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K A$32.6K

$1,957 PKR 541.6K

1060.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 A$110

$17.57 PKR 4,862

336.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 A$92.2

$22.78 PKR 6,304

181.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 A$176

$67.6 PKR 18.7K

81.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 A$237

$40.97 PKR 11.3K

302.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 A$2,788

$117 PKR 32.4K

1555.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 A$2,363

$75.7 PKR 21.0K

2073.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,736 A$3,930

$365 PKR 101.1K

649.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 A$3,097

$182 PKR 50.5K

1082.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,449 A$12.1K

$1,054 PKR 291.6K

701.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,054 A$8,696

$491 PKR 135.8K

1133.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,280 A$6,147

$185 PKR 51.2K

2214.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.89

13.21

-55.41%

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

Last update for Perth: October 6, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Perth

$1.6K 54.3%

Karachi

$76 15.7% 95.4% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Perth

$364 12%

Karachi

$101 20.9% 72.3% $263

Eating Out

Perth

$324 10.7%

Karachi

$61 12.7% 81.2% $263

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Perth

$294 9.7%

Karachi

$131 27.3% 55.4% $163

Clothing & Footwear

Perth

$193 6.4%

Karachi

$67 13.9% 65.2% $126

Getting Around

Perth

$119 3.9%

Karachi

$15 3.2% 87.2% $104

Sport & Entertainment

Perth

$92 3%

Karachi

$30 6.3% 66.9% $61

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,941 in Perth and $117 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 2215% 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: $85.0 in Perth vs $13.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $101 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Perth

🇵🇰 Karachi

🕒 Local time

09:03 9:03 AM

06:03 6:03 AM

3 h behind Perth

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,043,762

14,910,352

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.696 USD

1 AUD = 0.621 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.696 USD). 1 EUR = 1.61 AUD (1 AUD = 0.621 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 310 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Perth Karachi 8,170 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Perth
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

Perth vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth and Karachi differ by about 520% in total monthly costs ($3,040 vs $490 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2215% higher in Perth, 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: $1,941 in Perth versus $117 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,040 per month in Perth versus $490 in Karachi – a 520% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 915% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $490 in Karachi versus $3,040 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karachi but tight or insufficient in Perth. 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, Perth 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 520% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.