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: $345 in Swabi versus $484 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $541 in Swabi versus $735 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $737 in Swabi versus $987 in Karachi.

Living in Swabi costs roughly 29% 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

$2.87 PKR 796

$2.06 PKR 572

39.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.34 PKR 3,981

$12.56 PKR 3,487

14.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.77 PKR 770

$3.99 PKR 1,108

-30.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 503

$1.93 PKR 537

-6.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 PKR 500

$5.27 PKR 1,463

-65.84%

Cappuccino

$0.55 PKR 153

$1.81 PKR 502

-69.61%

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

$0.29 PKR 81.5

$0.33 PKR 92.7

-12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 PKR 42.78

$0.21 PKR 58.0

-28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.79 PKR 220

-22.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$0.58 PKR 161

-46.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 237

$1.18 PKR 328

-27.97%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 301

$1.15 PKR 321

-6.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 PKR 1,744

$6.41 PKR 1,781

-2.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.34 PKR 648

$3.12 PKR 867

-25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.71 PKR 754

$5.09 PKR 1,413

-46.76%

Apples (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$1.03 PKR 286

-46.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 93.9

$0.60 PKR 166

-43.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$0.92 PKR 257

-45.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.4

$0.57 PKR 159

-49.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.19 PKR 54.1

$0.35 PKR 98.2

-45.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 143

$0.50 PKR 140

4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.1

$0.36 PKR 99.8

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$0.41 PKR 113

-29.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.47 PKR 409

$1.25 PKR 346

17.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 PKR 192

$1.32 PKR 367

-47.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 PKR 558

$2.06 PKR 572

-2.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 PKR 578

$2.16 PKR 599

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.58

$0.33 PKR 92.7

-51.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 PKR 2,013

$6.43 PKR 1,785

12.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 PKR 188

$0.74 PKR 206

-8.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 PKR 57.2

$0.61 PKR 170

-65.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 PKR 483

$1.74 PKR 484

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.94 PKR 261

-4.26%

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

$10.7K PKR 3.0M

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

-36.24%

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

$12.2K PKR 3.4M

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

-51.58%

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

$54.1 PKR 15.0K

$134 PKR 37.3K

-59.73%

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

$3.62 PKR 1,004

$5.00 PKR 1,388

-27.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.35 PKR 5,096

$13.28 PKR 3,689

38.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.58 PKR 3,494

$15.87 PKR 4,406

-20.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 PKR 1,665

$14.35 PKR 3,984

-58.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,149

$4.34 PKR 1,206

-4.61%

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

$17.34 PKR 4,814

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

-70.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,097 PKR 304.7K

$1,356 PKR 376.6K

-19.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$3.57 PKR 990

$17.71 PKR 4,919

-79.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 PKR 7,726

$25.79 PKR 7,162

7.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 PKR 24.4K

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

36.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.25 PKR 11.2K

$35.84 PKR 9,953

12.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 PKR 21.3K

$118 PKR 32.8K

-35.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

-29.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.6K

$319 PKR 88.6K

-48.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.0K

$181 PKR 50.3K

-40.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$967 PKR 268.6K

$932 PKR 258.7K

3.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 141.8K

$433 PKR 120.3K

17.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 PKR 44.9K

$177 PKR 49.1K

-8.62%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.6 in Swabi and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karachi pays 9% 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 $13.00 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 40% in total monthly costs ($345 vs $484 including rent). Swabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Karachi. 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: $76.6 in Swabi versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $345 per month in Swabi versus $484 in Karachi – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Swabi runs roughly 13% 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 40% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.