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Karachi vs Kolkata cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ต๐ฐ Karachi
๐ฎ๐ณ Kolkata
At a glance
- Where Kolkata is clearly cheaper: Bottled water (52%โ), Cocktail & wine (44%โ), Convenience store (44%โ)
- Where Karachi is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (70%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Kolkata is easier to travel (2.4 vs 3.4). Biggest gap: safety โ Karachi 5 vs Kolkata 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Karachi | Kolkata | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Rs 600$2.14 | โน 180$2.14 | similar |
| Street food1 item | Rs 250$0.89 | โน 70$0.83 | Kolkata โ7% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Rs 2,000$7.14 | โน 550$6.55 | Kolkata โ8% |
| Coffeeone cup | Rs 650$2.32 | โน 170$2.02 | Kolkata โ13% |
| Beerone bottle | Rs 900$3.21 | โน 220$2.62 | Kolkata โ19% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Rs 3,000$10.7 | โน 500$5.95 | Kolkata โ44% |
| Bottled water | Rs 70$0.25 | โน 10$0.12 | Kolkata โ52% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Rs 120$0.43 | โน 20$0.24 | Kolkata โ44% |
| Taxi5 km in town | Rs 500$1.79 | โน 150$1.79 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Rs 220$0.79 | โน 60$0.71 | Kolkata โ9% |
| Transitone ride | Rs 60$0.21 | โน 12$0.14 | Kolkata โ33% |
| Scooter rentalper day | Rs 1,500$5.36 | โน 400$4.76 | Kolkata โ11% |
| Hotel night3-star | Rs 12,000$42.9 | โน 3,600$42.9 | similar |
| Studio rent (month) | Rs 45,000$161 | โน 11,000$131 | Kolkata โ19% |
| Laundry | Rs 200$0.71 | โน 70$0.83 | Karachi โ14% |
| SIM card1 week data | Rs 1,000$3.57 | โน 350$4.17 | Karachi โ14% |
| Haircutcut | Rs 600$2.14 | โน 200$2.38 | Karachi โ10% |
| Massage1 hour | Rs 3,000$10.7 | โน 1,000$11.9 | Karachi โ10% |
| Half-day tourper person | Rs 5,000$17.9 | โน 1,500$17.9 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Rs 500$1.79 | โน 500$5.95 | Karachi โ70% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Karachi or Kolkata?
Kolkata is 7% cheaper than Karachi. Daily budget $66.4 vs $65.3; a month $757 vs $668.
Which is easier to travel, Karachi or Kolkata?
Kolkata is easier: Kolkata 2.4/5 vs Karachi 3.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Karachi and Kolkata?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Karachi is about $757 and Kolkata about $668 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.