Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yogyakarta and Karachi

For one person, living is cheaper in Karachi: $482 a month against $644 in Yogyakarta, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Yogyakarta
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$644
/mo nomad
Karachi
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$482
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $644 in Yogyakarta versus $482 in Karachi.

  • Yogyakarta $644
  • Karachi $482

Estimated couple costs with rent: $892 in Yogyakarta versus $750 in Karachi.

  • Yogyakarta $892
  • Karachi $750

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,140 in Yogyakarta versus $1,018 in Karachi.

  • Yogyakarta $1,140
  • Karachi $1,018

Living in Yogyakarta is roughly 34% more expensive than in Karachi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yogyakarta 52% lower, Karachi 64% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yogyakarta
Karachi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.09 Rp 19.6K
$2.13 PKR 588
-48.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.62 Rp 245.1K
$13.30 PKR 3,680
2.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.32 Rp 59.8K
$5.45 PKR 1,508
-39.08%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.19 PKR 607
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.24 PKR 2,005
-
Cappuccino
$1.27 Rp 22.9K
$2.09 PKR 579
-39.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 Rp 6,795
$0.40 PKR 111
-5.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23 Rp 4,139
$0.26 PKR 71.1
-11.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.57 Rp 46.3K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 Rp 66.7K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yogyakarta
Karachi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$0.92 PKR 254
28.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.09 Rp 19.6K
$0.56 PKR 156
94.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.77 Rp 13.9K
$1.25 PKR 345
-38.40%
Eggs
$1.35 Rp 24.4K
$1.23 PKR 341
9.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.42 Rp 97.6K
$5.67 PKR 1,570
-4.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.90 Rp 52.2K
$3.16 PKR 876
-8.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.45 Rp 98.0K
$6.28 PKR 1,737
-13.22%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 Rp 47.0K
$1.26 PKR 348
107.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 Rp 21.9K
$0.53 PKR 148
130.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.16 Rp 20.9K
$1.00 PKR 276
16.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
$0.56 PKR 154
57.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 Rp 18.3K
$0.33 PKR 91.4
209.09%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 Rp 35.9K
$0.34 PKR 95.1
488.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 Rp 7,761
$0.42 PKR 116
2.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 Rp 8,321
$0.44 PKR 121
4.55%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.25 PKR 346
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.32 PKR 365
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.42 PKR 670
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.81 Rp 50.7K
$1.84 PKR 509
52.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.61 Rp 371.0K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 Rp 39.1K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 Rp 66.9K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Yogyakarta
Karachi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.20 Rp 3,689
$0.28 PKR 77.0
-28.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.65 Rp 155.8K
$9.99 PKR 2,764
-13.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.44 Rp 25.9K
$0.92 PKR 256
56.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.41 Rp 7,309
$0.70 PKR 193
-41.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.41 Rp 79.4K
$2.16 PKR 597
104.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 Rp 15.1K
$1.38 PKR 382
-39.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.9K Rp 286.1M
$17.9K PKR 5.0M
-11.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K Rp 488.3M
$27.1K PKR 7.5M
0.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yogyakarta
Karachi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$67.0 Rp 1.2M
$113 PKR 31.4K
-40.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.71 Rp 84.8K
$5.95 PKR 1,648
-20.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.54 Rp 369.7K
$13.16 PKR 3,642
56.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yogyakarta
Karachi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.06 Rp 361.1K
$21.55 PKR 5,965
-6.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.41 Rp 151.3K
$18.23 PKR 5,044
-53.87%
Cinema Ticket
$2.54 Rp 45.7K
$4.21 PKR 1,165
-39.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yogyakarta
Karachi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$84.8 Rp 1.5M
$52.2 PKR 14.4K
62.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,076 Rp 73.4M
$1,940 PKR 537.0K
110.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yogyakarta
Karachi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.9 Rp 952.9K
$17.55 PKR 4,858
201.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.60 Rp 586.9K
$23.51 PKR 6,506
38.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.0 Rp 1.5M
$68.9 PKR 19.1K
19.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.4 Rp 1.7M
$40.59 PKR 11.2K
127.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yogyakarta
Karachi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$210 Rp 3.8M
$118 PKR 32.7K
77.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$159 Rp 2.9M
$73.6 PKR 20.4K
115.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$590 Rp 10.6M
$357 PKR 98.9K
65.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$133 Rp 2.4M
$188 PKR 52.0K
-29.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,691 Rp 30.4M
$1,060 PKR 293.4K
59.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$219 Rp 3.9M
$481 PKR 133.1K
-54.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yogyakarta
Karachi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$220 Rp 4.0M
$183 PKR 50.6K
20.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.45
13.21
-36.03%

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

Last update for Yogyakarta: October 12, 2026

Last update for Karachi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Yogyakarta
$182
Karachi
$101 44.2% $80
Accommodation & Living
Yogyakarta
$159
Karachi
$74 53.6% $85
Clothing & Footwear
Yogyakarta
$117
Karachi
$68 42.1% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yogyakarta
$92
Karachi
$133 43.8% $40
Eating Out
Yogyakarta
$57
Karachi
$61 7.9% $4.5
Sport & Entertainment
Yogyakarta
$25
Karachi
$30 19.2% $4.8
Getting Around
Yogyakarta
$13
Karachi
$16 19.9% $2.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $210 in Yogyakarta and $118 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yogyakarta pays 20% 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 Yogyakarta vs $13.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $101 per month, with Karachi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Yogyakarta
🇵🇰 Karachi
🕒 Local time
10:59 10:59 AM
08:59 8:59 AM
2 h behind Yogyakarta
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
636,660
14,910,352
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,268 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 312 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Yogyakarta Karachi 5,930 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Yogyakarta
  • 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
Yogyakarta vs Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Yogyakarta and in Karachi?
Yogyakarta and Karachi differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($644 vs $482 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Yogyakarta or Karachi?
Average pay runs 20% higher in Yogyakarta, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Yogyakarta and in Karachi?
Rent for a central apartment: $210 in Yogyakarta versus $118 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Yogyakarta or Karachi?
All in, you'll spend $644 per month in Yogyakarta versus $482 in Karachi – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Yogyakarta and in Karachi?
A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 15% less than in Yogyakarta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How far does $1,200 go in Yogyakarta compared to Karachi?
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.
How does quality of life compare between Yogyakarta and Karachi?
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.
Is Yogyakarta or Karachi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Yogyakarta 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.
Where should expats move: Yogyakarta or Karachi?
Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Yogyakarta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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