Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat Thani and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $483 a month against $775 in Surat Thani, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Surat Thani
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Surat Thani Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Karachi
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Karachi Living Index

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Surat Thani

🇹🇭 Thailand

$775

/mo nomad

Karachi

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$483

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $775 in Surat Thani versus $483 in Karachi.

Surat Thani $775
Karachi $483

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Surat Thani versus $754 in Karachi.

Surat Thani $1,414
Karachi $754

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,053 in Surat Thani versus $1,025 in Karachi.

Surat Thani $2,053
Karachi $1,025

Living in Surat Thani is roughly 60% more expensive than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surat Thani 43% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.89 ฿63.0

$2.11 PKR 585

-10.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.87 ฿597

$13.73 PKR 3,801

30.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.51 ฿151

$5.53 PKR 1,531

-18.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 PKR 609

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 PKR 2,040

Cappuccino

$1.50 ฿50.2

$2.14 PKR 593

-29.91%

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

$0.50 ฿16.68

$0.40 PKR 111

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.66

$0.28 PKR 77.7

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿85.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.4

$0.90 PKR 250

84.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ฿39.89

$0.55 PKR 153

116.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.13

$1.20 PKR 333

-2.50%

Eggs

$1.87 ฿62.4

$1.25 PKR 346

49.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 ฿641

$5.96 PKR 1,650

221.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 ฿111

$3.19 PKR 883

4.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 ฿249

$6.48 PKR 1,793

14.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿97.2

$1.24 PKR 344

134.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.3

$0.53 PKR 147

216.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 ฿58.7

$1.03 PKR 284

70.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.51 PKR 142

301.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.57

$0.31 PKR 85.1

319.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿45.90

$0.31 PKR 87.1

341.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ฿37.24

$0.41 PKR 113

170.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ฿13.66

$0.44 PKR 120

-6.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.31 PKR 362

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 369

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PKR 670

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ฿103

$1.83 PKR 508

67.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.86 ฿630

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ฿51.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿60.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ฿34.00

$0.28 PKR 76.8

264.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.95 ฿700

$9.81 PKR 2,716

113.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.50

$0.87 PKR 240

35.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ฿21.05

$0.74 PKR 204

-14.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ฿117

$2.23 PKR 617

56.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ฿38.93

$1.38 PKR 383

-15.94%

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

$26.6K ฿890.1K

$18.4K PKR 5.1M

45.12%

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

$27.3K ฿911.7K

$26.4K PKR 7.3M

3.16%

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

$72.9 ฿2,437

$113 PKR 31.4K

-35.63%

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

$11.12 ฿372

$6.12 PKR 1,694

81.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.32 ฿579

$13.11 PKR 3,628

32.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.24 ฿1,612

$21.78 PKR 6,029

121.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.52 ฿385

$18.27 PKR 5,058

-36.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 ฿151

$4.26 PKR 1,179

6.34%

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

$549 ฿18.3K

$52.1 PKR 14.4K

953.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿386.5K

$1,941 PKR 537.3K

495.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 ฿2,070

$17.53 PKR 4,852

253.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.16 ฿974

$22.88 PKR 6,332

27.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 ฿3,252

$68.1 PKR 18.8K

42.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 ฿2,892

$41.55 PKR 11.5K

108.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,910

$118 PKR 32.5K

101.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 ฿4,985

$73.2 PKR 20.3K

103.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ฿38.4K

$360 PKR 99.6K

219.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 ฿23.7K

$188 PKR 52.1K

276.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,226 ฿74.4K

$1,082 PKR 299.4K

105.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,404 ฿46.9K

$474 PKR 131.2K

196.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

13.21

-57.83%

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

Last update for Surat Thani: October 19, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Surat Thani

$244 31.5%

Karachi

$102 21.1% 58.2% $142

Accommodation & Living

Surat Thani

$149 19.3%

Karachi

$73 15.2% 50.9% $76

Clothing & Footwear

Surat Thani

$124 16%

Karachi

$68 14% 45.4% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Surat Thani

$101 13.1%

Karachi

$133 27.4% 30.7% $31

Eating Out

Surat Thani

$70 9%

Karachi

$62 12.8% 11.5% $8

Sport & Entertainment

Surat Thani

$57 7.4%

Karachi

$30 6.3% 47.1% $27

Getting Around

Surat Thani

$29 3.8%

Karachi

$15 3.2% 47.3% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Surat Thani and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Surat Thani vs $14.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $102 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Surat Thani

🇵🇰 Karachi

🕒 Local time

23:06 11:06 PM

21:06 9:06 PM

2 h behind Surat Thani

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

132,040

14,910,352

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Surat Thani Karachi 3,840 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Surat Thani
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

Surat Thani vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surat Thani and Karachi differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($775 vs $483 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,163 in Surat Thani and $725 in Karachi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $237 in Surat Thani versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $775 per month in Surat Thani versus $483 in Karachi – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 114% less than in Surat Thani. 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, Surat Thani 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 60% less than in Surat Thani. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.