Should you visit Ankara or Karachi?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Ankara and Karachi. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Ankara
Located at the heart of Turkey near Central Anatolia, Ankara is the capital city and second largest city in the country after Istanbul. Formerly known for its long-haired goats and textiles, the city has since developed into a metropolitan mix of modern cultures with historic landmarks.
Karachi
Karachi is the capital of the Pakistani province of Sindh. It is the most populous city in Pakistan, and sixth most populous city proper in the world. Karachi, located on the coast of the Arabian Sea, is the financial and commercial center of the nation, as well as its largest port. The pace of life here is more hurried, and social attitudes are far more liberal than elsewhere in Pakistan. Locals call it the City of Lights, the City of The Quaid, and the City that Never Sleeps. The city credits its growth to the mixed populations of economic and political migrants along with refugees from different national, provincial, linguistic and religious origins, who generally come to the city to settle permanently.
Which city is cheaper, Karachi or Ankara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Ankara is $62, while the average daily cost in Karachi is $34. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Ankara and Karachi in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $56 for a double occupancy room in Ankara.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $14. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Karachi the cost is $28 on average.
Food
The average traveler spends about $23 per day in Ankara for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
On average, meal and food prices in Karachi cost around $15 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $6.00.
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Food
Meals for one day
Ankara $23
Karachi $15
Typical Food prices in Ankara
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ankara:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Karachi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Karachi.
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Half-Day Karachi Burns Road Private Victoria Ride with Dinner:
$100
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $10 per day to get around in Ankara.
The cost of a taxi ride in Karachi is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $6.05 per person, per day, on local transportation in Karachi.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Ankara
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ankara:
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Metro Ride
$0.15
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Short Taxi Ride
$0.59
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:
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Esenboğa Airport Transfer:
$15
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Private Airport Transfer: Esenboğa International Airport (ESB) to Ankara:
$20
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Private Airport Transfer: from Ankara to Esenboğa International Airport (ESB):
$20
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Arrival Private Transfer Ankara Airport ESB to Ankara City by Standard Sedan:
$33
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Departure Private Transfer Ankara City to Ankara Airport ESB by Standard Sedan:
$35
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Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB):
$38
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Private Transfer from Ankara Esenboga Airport (ESB) to Central Ankara:
$38
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Arrival Private Transfer from Ankara ESB Airport to Ankara City by Minivan:
$47
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Departure Private Transfer from Ankara City to Ankara Airport ESB by Minivan:
$49
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Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels:
$49
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Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels to Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers:
$49
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Ankara Airport Private Arrival Transfer:
$51
Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or Karachi?
Prices for flights to both Karachi and Ankara change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $20 per person, per day in Ankara. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Entertainment and activities in Karachi typically cost an average of $6.69 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Typical Entertainment prices in Ankara
Here are a few typical costs in Ankara for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Ankara
Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Cer Modern Entrance Ticket:
$5.97
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Cappadocia Hiking & Underground City Tour:
$47
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Istanbul: Half-Day Tour with Topkapi Palace:
$140
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İstanbul: Full-Day Tour with Grand Bazaar:
$150
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Private Tour: Ankara Sightseeing:
$198
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Private Tour of Historical Ankara City:
$242
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Ankara Tour:
$252
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Daily Ankara Tour:
$265
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Daily Hattusas / Boğazköy Tour:
$341
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Ankara, Gordion, Cappadocia 1 day tour - CAP30:
$427
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Private Tour of the Hittite Sites:
$455
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Ankara, Gordion, Hattusas, Cappadocia 2 days private tour - CAP41:
$505
Tours and Activities in Karachi
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Karachi are as follows:
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Jalebi Khaana Peena Tour:
$21
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Cultural Heritage Tour:
$22
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Karachi City of Lights - Sightseeing tour:
$60
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Karachi City Tour:
$83
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Must Eat Tour of Karachi:
$99
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A day tour to Village Life: Worthy Experience:
$120
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Karachi Half Day Private Tour - Interaction with Local Family:
$132
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UNESCO World Heritage Tour Near Karachi:
$141
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Civilization of the Indus Valley Tour- South Pakistan:
$1,641
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Karachi To Khunjerab Pass Tour.:
$3,999
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Ankara may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $10 per day on alcoholic beverages.
The average person spends about $4.42 on alcoholic beverages in Karachi per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ankara and Karachi, we can see that Ankara is more expensive. And not only is Karachi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ankara is in Europe and Karachi is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Karachi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Karachi and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Ankara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ankara than you might in Karachi.
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