Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetta and Kota Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetta and Kota

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $420 in Quetta versus $335 in Kota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $617 in Quetta versus $536 in Kota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $814 in Quetta versus $738 in Kota.

Living in Quetta is roughly 25% more expensive than in Kota, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quetta 69% lower, Kota 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.70 PKR 1,026

$2.14 ₹205

72.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.78 PKR 2,987

$7.99 ₹767

34.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 PKR 1,255

$2.68 ₹257

69.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 PKR 1,460

Cappuccino

$1.59 PKR 442

$0.65 ₹62.0

144.62%

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

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.35 ₹34.04

11.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 54.4

$0.17 ₹16.70

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 ₹149

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₹307

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 PKR 192

$0.59 ₹56.6

16.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.41 ₹38.98

36.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 341

$0.64 ₹61.3

92.19%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 337

$0.82 ₹79.1

48.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.93 PKR 1,366

$4.31 ₹414

14.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 PKR 785

$2.67 ₹256

5.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 PKR 1,419

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.52 ₹146

-38.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$0.51 ₹49.25

11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 190

$0.67 ₹64.7

2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.44 ₹41.81

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 82.0

$0.31 ₹30.11

-3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.40 ₹38.65

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.32 ₹31.14

34.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 108

$0.28 ₹26.46

39.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.75 PKR 485

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 PKR 300

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 PKR 788

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 PKR 579

$4.24 ₹406

-50.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 ₹737

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₹143

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₹185

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.74 ₹455

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 PKR 36.35

$0.54 ₹51.7

-75.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.27 PKR 2,845

$25.99 ₹2,493

-60.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 PKR 288

$0.30 ₹28.63

246.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.22 ₹21.15

95.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 493

$1.02 ₹98.2

74.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 PKR 296

$1.10 ₹105

-2.73%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

$15.7K ₹1.5M

53.45%

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

$24.2K PKR 6.7M

$17.2K ₹1.7M

40.52%

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

$103 PKR 28.5K

$13.16 ₹1,262

682.07%

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

$8.11 PKR 2,246

$2.49 ₹239

225.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.41 PKR 4,547

$6.27 ₹602

161.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.78 PKR 1,602

$10.34 ₹992

-44.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.11 ₹394

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 PKR 923

$3.05 ₹292

9.18%

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

$34.78 PKR 9,635

$33.94 ₹3,256

2.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$995 PKR 275.5K

$648 ₹62.1K

53.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.08 PKR 2,237

$22.08 ₹2,119

-63.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.81 PKR 6,318

$32.79 ₹3,146

-30.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 PKR 19.6K

$34.83 ₹3,341

103.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.10 PKR 9,446

$21.02 ₹2,017

62.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$71.4 PKR 19.8K

$143 ₹13.7K

-50.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.66 PKR 13.8K

$79.0 ₹7,578

-37.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 PKR 45.8K

$269 ₹25.9K

-38.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.5 PKR 27.6K

$171 ₹16.4K

-41.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$376 PKR 104.3K

$556 ₹53.3K

-32.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$219 PKR 60.6K

$333 ₹31.9K

-34.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$274 PKR 75.9K

$417 ₹40.0K

-34.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

7.5

71.73%

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

Last update for Quetta: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kota: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $71.4 in Quetta and $143 in Kota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kota pays 52% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $11.00 in Quetta vs $8.00 in Kota. Groceries flip the comparison at $89.0 vs $91.0, with Quetta 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

Quetta vs Kota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quetta and Kota differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($420 vs $335 including rent). Kota is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Kota. 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: $71.4 in Quetta versus $143 in Kota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Quetta pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Kota – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $11.00 in Quetta. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kota 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 Kota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Quetta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.