Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quezon City and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $490 a month against $855 in Quezon City, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Quezon City
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Quezon City Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index

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Quezon City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$855

/mo nomad

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$490

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $855 in Quezon City versus $490 in Karachi.

Quezon City $855
Karachi $490

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Quezon City versus $755 in Karachi.

Quezon City $1,385
Karachi $755

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,916 in Quezon City versus $1,019 in Karachi.

Quezon City $1,916
Karachi $1,019

Living in Quezon City is roughly 74% more expensive than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quezon City 36% lower, Karachi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ₱279

$2.15 PKR 596

106.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 ₱1,178

$13.37 PKR 3,700

40.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.86 ₱179

$5.29 PKR 1,464

-45.94%

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

$2.77 ₱174

$2.11 PKR 583

31.28%

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

$0.69 ₱43.17

$0.37 PKR 103

86.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₱18.35

$0.28 PKR 78.2

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ₱92.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₱171

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ₱107

$0.86 PKR 238

98.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$0.52 PKR 144

121.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₱53.0

$1.24 PKR 344

-31.45%

Eggs

$1.76 ₱110

$1.24 PKR 342

41.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 ₱428

$5.86 PKR 1,622

16.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 ₱269

$3.12 PKR 862

37.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.29 ₱457

$6.25 PKR 1,731

16.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 ₱241

$1.29 PKR 356

197.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ₱88.9

$0.54 PKR 150

162.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 ₱224

$0.99 PKR 273

260.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₱71.3

$0.56 PKR 155

103.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 ₱150

$0.33 PKR 91.6

627.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 ₱217

$0.35 PKR 95.9

885.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ₱86.3

$0.45 PKR 124

206.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₱61.0

$0.44 PKR 121

120.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 PKR 341

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 PKR 381

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 676

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₱178

$1.79 PKR 497

58.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 ₱478

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱81.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₱110

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₱24.91

$0.28 PKR 76.5

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.79 ₱1,179

$9.68 PKR 2,679

94.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.86

$0.92 PKR 255

-17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.15

$0.71 PKR 196

-70.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ₱155

$2.22 PKR 615

11.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₱74.4

$1.35 PKR 372

-11.85%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

17.89%

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

$18.9K ₱1.2M

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

-29.31%

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

$165 ₱10.3K

$112 PKR 30.9K

47.16%

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

$14.28 ₱896

$6.05 PKR 1,673

136.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.21 ₱1,518

$13.29 PKR 3,679

82.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.71 ₱2,365

$21.51 PKR 5,954

75.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.41 ₱214

$17.80 PKR 4,927

-80.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ₱453

$4.42 PKR 1,222

63.35%

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

$73.1 ₱4,583

$50.7 PKR 14.0K

44.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,472 ₱155.1K

$1,957 PKR 541.6K

26.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.88 ₱2,250

$17.57 PKR 4,862

104.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.30 ₱1,398

$22.78 PKR 6,304

-2.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 ₱4,989

$67.6 PKR 18.7K

17.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.4 ₱4,729

$40.97 PKR 11.3K

84.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 ₱19.7K

$117 PKR 32.5K

168.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 ₱11.9K

$75.7 PKR 21.0K

151.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 ₱46.8K

$365 PKR 101.1K

104.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 ₱32.6K

$182 PKR 50.5K

185.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,326 ₱145.9K

$1,054 PKR 291.6K

120.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,421 ₱89.1K

$491 PKR 135.8K

189.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$440 ₱27.6K

$185 PKR 51.2K

138.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.21

-47.01%

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

Last update for Quezon City: October 6, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Quezon City

$207 23.9%

Karachi

$101 20.9% 51.3% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quezon City

$203 23.5%

Karachi

$131 27.3% 35.4% $72

Accommodation & Living

Quezon City

$190 22%

Karachi

$76 15.7% 60.2% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Quezon City

$96 11.1%

Karachi

$67 13.9% 30.1% $29

Eating Out

Quezon City

$94 10.9%

Karachi

$61 12.7% 35.3% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Quezon City

$52 6%

Karachi

$30 6.3% 41.8% $22

Getting Around

Quezon City

$22 2.6%

Karachi

$15 3.2% 31.3% $7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $314 in Quezon City and $117 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quezon City pays 138% 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: $19.00 in Quezon City vs $13.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $101 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Quezon City

🇵🇰 Karachi

🕒 Local time

19:24 7:24 PM

16:24 4:24 PM

3 h behind Quezon City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,936,116

14,910,352

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.28 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 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 PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Quezon City Karachi 5,730 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Quezon City
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

Quezon City vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quezon City and Karachi differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($855 vs $490 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 138% higher in Quezon City, 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: $314 in Quezon City versus $117 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $855 per month in Quezon City versus $490 in Karachi – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 94% less than in Quezon City. 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, Quezon City 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 74% less than in Quezon City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.