Cost of Living Comparison Between Swat and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Swat and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $419 in Swat versus $484 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $626 in Swat versus $735 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $834 in Swat versus $987 in Karachi.

Living in Swat costs roughly 13% less than in Karachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Swat 69% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 PKR 793

$2.06 PKR 572

38.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.41 PKR 4,001

$12.56 PKR 3,487

14.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 PKR 1,508

$3.99 PKR 1,108

36.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 482

$1.93 PKR 537

-10.36%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 PKR 1,050

$5.27 PKR 1,463

-28.27%

Cappuccino

$2.01 PKR 557

$1.81 PKR 502

11.05%

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

$0.42 PKR 117

$0.33 PKR 92.7

27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.9

$0.21 PKR 58.0

4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 PKR 193

$0.79 PKR 220

-11.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 PKR 171

$0.58 PKR 161

5.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 350

$1.18 PKR 328

6.78%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 340

$1.15 PKR 321

6.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 PKR 1,759

$6.41 PKR 1,781

-1.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 362

$3.12 PKR 867

-58.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.37 PKR 380

$5.09 PKR 1,413

-73.08%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 238

$1.03 PKR 286

-16.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 93.2

$0.60 PKR 166

-43.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$0.92 PKR 257

-45.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 112

$0.57 PKR 159

-29.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 PKR 116

$0.35 PKR 98.2

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.50 PKR 140

4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.36 PKR 99.8

-13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 104

$0.41 PKR 113

-9.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.43 PKR 396

$1.25 PKR 346

14.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PKR 254

$1.32 PKR 367

-31.06%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 PKR 541

$2.06 PKR 572

-5.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 PKR 597

$2.16 PKR 599

-0.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.0

$0.33 PKR 92.7

-39.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 PKR 1,991

$6.43 PKR 1,785

11.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 PKR 93.7

$0.74 PKR 206

-54.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 121

$0.61 PKR 170

-27.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 PKR 799

$1.74 PKR 484

65.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 269

$0.94 PKR 261

3.19%

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

$21.1K PKR 5.8M

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

25.80%

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

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

4.03%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$134 PKR 37.3K

-15.87%

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

$5.25 PKR 1,457

$5.00 PKR 1,388

5.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.57 PKR 3,491

$13.28 PKR 3,689

-5.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.17 PKR 1,714

$15.87 PKR 4,406

-61.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 PKR 1,600

$14.35 PKR 3,984

-59.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,191

$4.34 PKR 1,206

-1.15%

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

$19.08 PKR 5,298

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

-67.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,117 PKR 310.2K

$1,356 PKR 376.6K

-17.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.47 PKR 5,962

$17.71 PKR 4,919

21.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.49 PKR 7,634

$25.79 PKR 7,162

6.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 PKR 24.3K

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

36.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.71 PKR 11.3K

$35.84 PKR 9,953

13.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

$118 PKR 32.8K

-36.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.3 PKR 14.5K

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

-30.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 PKR 45.7K

$319 PKR 88.6K

-48.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 PKR 29.8K

$181 PKR 50.3K

-40.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$985 PKR 273.4K

$932 PKR 258.7K

5.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$451 PKR 125.2K

$433 PKR 120.3K

4.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 PKR 49.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

17.8

13.48%

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

Last update for Swat: July 12, 2026

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.1 in Swat and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Swat vs $13.00 in Karachi. Groceries flip the comparison at $71.0 vs $97.0, with Swat 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

Swat vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swat and Karachi differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($419 vs $484 including rent). Swat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $628 in Swat and $726 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: $75.1 in Swat versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $419 per month in Swat versus $484 in Karachi – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Swat runs roughly 12% 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 Swat 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 Swat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Karachi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.