Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad ranked among top 4 'cheapest cities' in world

A data company Numbeo's annual list of lifestyle expenses has declared three Pakistani cities - Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad - among the cheapest cities in the world.

The list, which examined data from January to June 2024, ranked 218 cities globally considering factors like lifestyle costs, rent, bargains, hotel prices, and the purchasing power of locals.

Karachi emerged as the cheapest city in the world, with 81 percent lower cost of living compared to New York.

Lahore followed closely as the second cheapest city, while Islamabad secured the fourth spot, with a 78.5 percent lower cost of living than New York.

In contrast, Geneva in Switzerland topped the list as the most expensive city, surpassing New York by 1.7 percent.

Other expensive cities included Zurich, San Francisco, Boston, Reykjavik, Washington DC, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

This report comes as a surprise, given the high prices of utility bills, fruits, vegetables, and daily items in Pakistan.

However, Numbeo's data suggests that when it comes to overall lifestyle expenses, Pakistani cities offer an affordable living option.