A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Karachi vs. Portland for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Karachi or Portland?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Karachi or Portland? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Karachi or Portland?

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.

Portland

Referred to as "The City of Roses", Portland is the largest city in Oregon. It sits on the banks of the Columbia River and offers breathtaking views of Mount Hood when the weather allows. Portland is famous for its alternative vibe, live music scene, and popular microbreweries. It's also a mecca for environmentally conscious urban planning. The downtown area is quite compact and walkable. While the city itself may be smaller than you expect, it is still the largest metropolitan area between San Francisco and Seattle.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Pakistan, The Best Historical Tours in Pakistan, The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, Portland or Karachi?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Karachi is $26, while the average daily cost in Portland is $180. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Karachi and Portland in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Karachi $11
    Portland $97
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Karachi $22
    Portland $194
Compare Hotels in Karachi and Portland

Looking for a hotel in Karachi or Portland? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Karachi


Hotels in Portland


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Karachi Hotel Prices and Portland Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Karachi $4.58
    Portland $28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Portland

Also for Portland, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Waterfall Express -PDX: Waterfall Trolley Tickets + Transfer: $60
  • Portland downtown to Portland Airport (PDX) - Departure Private Transfer: $61
  • Lake Oswego to Portland Airport (PDX) - Departure Private Transfer: $71
  • Portland Airport (PDX) to Beaverton hotel or address - Arrival Private Transfer: $75
  • Tigard hotel or address to Portland Airport (PDX) - Departure Private Transfer: $75
  • Private Transfer from Portland Airport (PDX) to Astoria Port: $88
  • Portland International Airport - Private transfer from/to Oregon City: $127
  • Portland Airport (PDX) to Lake Oswego - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $142
  • Portland Airport (PDX) to Tigard hotel or address - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $151

Is it cheaper to fly into Karachi or Portland?

Prices for flights to both Portland and Karachi 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Karachi $11
    Portland $43

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Karachi

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Karachi.

  • Private Karachi Street Food Tour: $94
  • Half-Day Karachi Burns Road Private Victoria Ride with Dinner: $100
  • Street Food Tour of Karachi: $199

Typical Food Prices in Portland

For Portland, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Afternoon Drinks (for 2)
    $9.50

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Portland

For Portland, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Walking Pizza Tour: $75
  • Secret Food Tour with Local Guide: $94
  • Brunch on Mississippi Food Tour: $95
  • Downtown Portland Food Tour : $99
  • Downtown Food Tour: $102
  • Mississippi Avenue Walking Food Tour: $105
  • The Vibrant Kerns Hood Food Tour: $105
  • The Bustling Buckman Hood Food Tour: $105
  • Portland Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $109
  • Mississippi Avenue Walking Food Tour: $110
  • All-Inclusive Downtown Portland Food Tour: $119
  • 2.5-hour Dinner Cruise on Willamette River: $127

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Karachi $5.07
    Portland $24

Tours and Activities in Karachi

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Karachi are as follows:

  • Experience local village life in Sindh: $200
  • Full Day Private Tour in Karachi City: $162
  • Full Day Private Tour to Mohatta Palace Zainab and Burns road: $196
  • Karachi City Tour : $129
  • Karachi Sightseeing Private tour: $159
  • UNESCO World Heritage Tour Near Karachi : $150

Tours and Activities in Portland

For Portland, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Smartphone Old Port Portland, ME Audio Walking Tour APP/GPS: $6.75
  • Portland, Maine: Walking Tour Audio Guide: $8.99
  • Downtown Portland In-App Audio Tour (ENG): $9.00
  • Scavenger Hunt Adventure Smartphone Audio Guide: $10
  • Waterfront Scavenger Hunt Self-Guided Tour: $13
  • Downtown Scavenger Hunt & Self-Guided Walking Tour: $13
  • Portland (Along the Waterfront) Scavenger Hunt & Self-Guided Tour: $13
  • Portland Exploration: Self-Guided Driving & Walking Tour: $14
  • Self-Guided Sightseeing Driving Audio Tour: $15
  • Portland Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $21
  • Smartphone-Guided Walking Tour of Downtown Portland: $25
  • Ghosts, Poltergeists, and Psychopaths Walking Tour: $26

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Karachi $3.35
    Portland $17

Sample the Local Flavors in Portland

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Portland:

  • Haunted Underground Shanghai Tunnel Tour with Brewery Tastings: $40
  • Portland Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $40
  • Weird Bar Crawl with Fanatical Local: $59
  • Guided Bike Tour with Brewery Visits: $65
  • Portland, Maine: Old Port Brewery & Pub Walking Tour: $89
  • Portland, Maine: Local Brewery & Spirits Bus Tour: $99
  • Afternoon Tour in Columbia Gorge Waterfall with Free Wine Tasting: $111
  • Waterfalls, Mt Hood, and Wine Tour (Tasting Fees Included): $135
  • Silver Falls Hike and Wine Tour: $179
  • Willamette Valley Wine Tasting from Portland: $189
  • Bed and Breakfast Wine Tour - Small Group, Joinable/Sharable: $198
  • From Willamette Valley Full-Day Wine Tour: $210


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Karachi and Portland, we can see that Portland is more expensive. And not only is Karachi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Karachi is in Asia and Portland is in North America, 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 Portland would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Portland than you might in Karachi.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Karachi Expensive? and Is Portland Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Karachi or Portland?

Karachi has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Portland. When comparing the sizes of Karachi and Portland, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.


When is the best time to visit Karachi or Portland?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Karachi or Portland in the Summer?

Both Portland and Karachi during the summer are popular places to visit. Also, most visitors come to Portland for the hiking, the small town charm, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.

Karachi is a little warmer than Portland in the summer. The daily temperature in Karachi averages around 30°C (86°F) in July, and Portland fluctuates around 68°F (20°C).

In Portland, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Karachi often gets less sunshine than Portland. Karachi gets 155 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Portland receives 338 hours of full sun.

Karachi usually gets more rain in July than Portland. Karachi gets 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Portland receives 0.7 inches (18 mm) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Karachi 30°C (86°F) 
    Portland 68°F (20°C)

Should I visit Karachi or Portland in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Karachi and Portland. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Portland because of the hiking trails, the shopping scene, the music scene, the small town atmosphere, and the natural beauty of the area.

In the autumn, Karachi is much warmer than Portland. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Karachi in October average around 29°C (84°F), and Portland averages at about 55°F (13°C).

In Karachi, it's very sunny this time of the year. Karachi usually receives more sunshine than Portland during autumn. Karachi gets 284 hours of sunny skies, while Portland receives 155 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Karachi usually receives less rain than Portland. Karachi gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Portland receives 2.6 inches (67 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Karachi 29°C (84°F) 
    Portland 55°F (13°C)

Should I visit Karachi or Portland in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Karachi as well as Portland. Also, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Portland this time of year.

It's quite cold in Portland in the winter. In January, Karachi is generally much warmer than Portland. Daily temperatures in Karachi average around 19°C (66°F), and Portland fluctuates around 40°F (4°C).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Karachi this time of the year. In the winter, Karachi often gets more sunshine than Portland. Karachi gets 271 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Portland receives 86 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Portland. Karachi usually gets less rain in January than Portland. Karachi gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Portland receives 5.2 inches (132 mm) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Karachi 19°C (66°F) 
    Portland 40°F (4°C)

Should I visit Karachi or Portland in the Spring?

Both Portland and Karachi are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, many travelers come to Portland for the small town charm and the natural beauty.

Karachi is much warmer than Portland in the spring. The daily temperature in Karachi averages around 29°C (84°F) in April, and Portland fluctuates around 51°F (11°C).

It's quite sunny in Portland. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Karachi. Karachi usually receives more sunshine than Portland during spring. Karachi gets 277 hours of sunny skies, while Portland receives 231 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Karachi usually receives less rain than Portland. Karachi gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Portland receives 2.4 inches (61 mm) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Karachi 29°C (84°F) 
    Portland 51°F (11°C)

Typical Weather for Portland and Karachi

Karachi Portland
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 19°C (66°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 40°F (4°C) 5.2 inches (132 mm)
Feb 22°C (72°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 44°F (7°C) 3.9 inches (98 mm)
Mar 26°C (79°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 47°F (9°C) 3.6 inches (92 mm)
Apr 29°C (84°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 51°F (11°C) 2.4 inches (61 mm)
May 31°C (88°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 57°F (14°C) 2 inches (51 mm)
Jun 31°C (88°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 64°F (18°C) 1.5 inches (39 mm)
Jul 30°C (86°F) 30 mm (1.2 in) 68°F (20°C) 0.7 inches (18 mm)
Aug 30°C (86°F) 40 mm (1.6 in) 69°F (20°C) 1 inches (25 mm)
Sep 29°C (84°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 63°F (17°C) 1.7 inches (44 mm)
Oct 29°C (84°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 55°F (13°C) 2.6 inches (67 mm)
Nov 24°C (75°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 46°F (8°C) 5.4 inches (136 mm)
Dec 21°C (70°F) 10 mm (0.4 in) 40°F (5°C) 6.1 inches (156 mm)