Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Putrajaya and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $818 in Putrajaya, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Putrajaya
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Putrajaya Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index

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Putrajaya

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$818

/mo nomad

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$482

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $818 in Putrajaya versus $482 in Karachi.

Putrajaya $818
Karachi $482

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,232 in Putrajaya versus $750 in Karachi.

Putrajaya $1,232
Karachi $750

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,646 in Putrajaya versus $1,018 in Karachi.

Putrajaya $1,646
Karachi $1,018

Living in Putrajaya is roughly 70% more expensive than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Putrajaya 39% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.78 MYR 15.41

$2.13 PKR 588

77.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 MYR 75.0

$13.30 PKR 3,680

38.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.67

$5.45 PKR 1,508

-15.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 607

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 PKR 2,005

Cappuccino

$2.86 MYR 11.68

$2.09 PKR 579

36.84%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.28

$0.40 PKR 111

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.26 PKR 71.1

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.66 MYR 14.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MYR 18.52

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$0.92 PKR 254

81.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.49

$0.56 PKR 156

96.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 6.00

$1.25 PKR 345

17.60%

Eggs

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$1.23 PKR 341

35.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 MYR 32.00

$5.67 PKR 1,570

38.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 MYR 19.09

$3.16 PKR 876

48.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 MYR 39.05

$6.28 PKR 1,737

52.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.82

$1.26 PKR 348

91.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$0.53 PKR 148

184.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 MYR 9.23

$1.00 PKR 276

126.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.65

$0.56 PKR 154

191.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$0.33 PKR 91.4

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.11

$0.34 PKR 95.1

341.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 MYR 5.43

$0.42 PKR 116

216.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$0.44 PKR 121

22.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 346

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 365

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PKR 670

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.50

$1.84 PKR 509

133.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 MYR 54.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 12.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MYR 12.74

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.84

$0.28 PKR 77.0

146.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.45 MYR 50.8

$9.99 PKR 2,764

24.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.92

$0.92 PKR 256

4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.70 PKR 193

-31.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.93 MYR 40.51

$2.16 PKR 597

359.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$1.38 PKR 382

-46.38%

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

$42.5K MYR 173.3K

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

137.27%

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

$34.5K MYR 140.7K

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

27.33%

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

$53.4 MYR 218

$113 PKR 31.4K

-52.96%

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

$11.10 MYR 45.29

$5.95 PKR 1,648

86.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.49 MYR 91.7

$13.16 PKR 3,642

70.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.53 MYR 145

$21.55 PKR 5,965

64.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.63 MYR 39.28

$18.23 PKR 5,044

-47.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.88

$4.21 PKR 1,165

15.68%

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

$506 MYR 2,063

$52.2 PKR 14.4K

869.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,463 MYR 18.2K

$1,940 PKR 537.0K

130.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 MYR 225

$17.55 PKR 4,858

214.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.63 MYR 67.9

$23.51 PKR 6,506

-29.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MYR 326

$68.9 PKR 19.1K

16.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MYR 355

$40.59 PKR 11.2K

114.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,420

$118 PKR 32.7K

194.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 932

$73.6 PKR 20.4K

210.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,628

$357 PKR 98.9K

80.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 MYR 1,516

$188 PKR 52.0K

97.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,622 MYR 10.7K

$1,060 PKR 293.4K

147.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,765 MYR 7,202

$481 PKR 133.1K

267.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,043 MYR 4,255

$183 PKR 50.6K

470.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

13.21

-69.27%

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

Last update for Putrajaya: October 10, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Putrajaya

$228 27.9%

Karachi

$74 15.3% 67.8% $155

Groceries & Markets

Putrajaya

$221 27%

Karachi

$101 21% 54.1% $119

Eating Out

Putrajaya

$110 13.5%

Karachi

$61 12.7% 44.7% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Putrajaya

$107 13.1%

Karachi

$68 14.1% 36.9% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Putrajaya

$87 10.6%

Karachi

$133 27.5% 52.4% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Putrajaya

$45 5.5%

Karachi

$30 6.2% 33.8% $15

Getting Around

Putrajaya

$19 2.3%

Karachi

$16 3.2% 16.5% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $348 in Putrajaya and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Putrajaya pays 470% 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: $18.00 in Putrajaya vs $13.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $101 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Putrajaya

🇵🇰 Karachi

🕒 Local time

19:00 7:00 PM

16:00 4:00 PM

3 h behind Putrajaya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

109,202

14,910,352

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Putrajaya Karachi 4,440 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Putrajaya
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

Putrajaya vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Putrajaya and Karachi differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($818 vs $482 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 470% higher in Putrajaya, 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: $348 in Putrajaya versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $818 per month in Putrajaya versus $482 in Karachi – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 25% less than in Putrajaya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Karachi 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.

Safety-wise, Putrajaya 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 70% less than in Putrajaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.