Cost of Living Comparison Between Swabi and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Swabi and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $343 in Swabi versus $477 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $532 in Swabi versus $727 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $721 in Swabi versus $978 in Karachi.

Living in Swabi costs roughly 28% less than in Karachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Swabi 74% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 PKR 809

$2.14 PKR 595

35.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.42 PKR 4,011

$12.44 PKR 3,461

15.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 PKR 774

$4.06 PKR 1,129

-31.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$1.99 PKR 553

-13.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 PKR 498

$5.22 PKR 1,451

-65.71%

Cappuccino

$0.55 PKR 154

$1.89 PKR 525

-70.90%

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

$0.29 PKR 81.6

$0.36 PKR 101

-19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 PKR 36.91

$0.23 PKR 64.2

-43.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.83 PKR 231

-24.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.58 PKR 161

-46.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$1.13 PKR 315

-25.66%

Eggs

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.21 PKR 337

-14.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.34 PKR 1,763

$6.29 PKR 1,749

0.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.31 PKR 643

$3.19 PKR 887

-27.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.74 PKR 763

$4.91 PKR 1,365

-44.20%

Apples (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.03 PKR 287

-45.63%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$0.58 PKR 162

-41.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.93 PKR 258

-45.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 74.7

$0.56 PKR 156

-51.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.17 PKR 47.00

$0.39 PKR 108

-56.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$0.51 PKR 141

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.38 PKR 107

-18.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 PKR 74.6

$0.43 PKR 120

-37.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 PKR 380

$1.28 PKR 356

6.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 202

$1.26 PKR 351

-42.06%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 569

$2.08 PKR 580

-1.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 PKR 605

$2.08 PKR 580

4.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.57

$0.34 PKR 94.4

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.88 PKR 1,914

$6.33 PKR 1,762

8.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 PKR 189

$0.74 PKR 205

-8.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 PKR 43.74

$0.61 PKR 171

-73.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 PKR 481

$1.79 PKR 497

-3.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$0.92 PKR 256

4.35%

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

$10.8K PKR 3.0M

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

-34.26%

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

$12.5K PKR 3.5M

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

-48.74%

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

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

$132 PKR 36.8K

-60.32%

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

$3.57 PKR 994

$4.90 PKR 1,362

-27.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.94 PKR 5,269

$13.63 PKR 3,791

38.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.49 PKR 3,474

$15.55 PKR 4,325

-19.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.08 PKR 1,691

$14.33 PKR 3,986

-57.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 PKR 1,183

$4.33 PKR 1,203

-1.85%

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

$17.75 PKR 4,939

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

-69.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,093 PKR 303.9K

$1,402 PKR 389.9K

-22.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$3.48 PKR 969

$17.73 PKR 4,932

-80.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.04 PKR 7,801

$25.51 PKR 7,097

9.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 PKR 24.7K

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

38.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.54 PKR 11.0K

$35.86 PKR 9,976

10.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.2 PKR 20.6K

$122 PKR 33.8K

-38.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

-30.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 PKR 45.8K

$323 PKR 89.8K

-49.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.2K

$182 PKR 50.6K

-42.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,117 PKR 310.7K

$985 PKR 273.9K

13.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 PKR 144.5K

$457 PKR 127.3K

13.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 PKR 45.2K

$181 PKR 50.2K

-9.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

-15.73%

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

Last update for Swabi: May 30, 2026

Last update for Karachi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $74.2 in Swabi and $122 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karachi pays 11% 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: $14.00 in Swabi vs $12.00 in Karachi. Groceries flip the comparison at $70.0 vs $97.0, with Swabi 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

Swabi vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swabi and Karachi differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($343 vs $477 including rent). Swabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Karachi earns 11% less. 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: $74.2 in Swabi versus $122 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $343 per month in Swabi versus $477 in Karachi – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Swabi runs roughly 9% less than in Karachi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Swabi 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 Swabi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.