Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jhelum and Lahore

For one person, living is cheaper in Jhelum: $382 a month against $516 in Lahore, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Jhelum
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$382
/mo nomad
Lahore
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$516
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jhelum and in Lahore

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jhelum and in Lahore actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $382 in Jhelum versus $516 in Lahore.

  • Jhelum $382
  • Lahore $516

Estimated couple costs with rent: $584 in Jhelum versus $785 in Lahore.

  • Jhelum $584
  • Lahore $785

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $785 in Jhelum versus $1,054 in Lahore.

  • Jhelum $785
  • Lahore $1,054

Living in Jhelum costs roughly 26% less than in Lahore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jhelum 72% lower, Lahore 62% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jhelum
Lahore
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.79 PKR 496
$2.55 PKR 705
-29.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.87 PKR 3,007
$14.61 PKR 4,043
-25.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.30 PKR 1,468
$5.75 PKR 1,590
-7.83%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 PKR 710
$3.50 PKR 970
-26.86%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 PKR 593
$5.29 PKR 1,465
-59.55%
Cappuccino
$1.51 PKR 418
$2.66 PKR 736
-43.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 PKR 129
$0.41 PKR 114
14.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 PKR 82.0
$0.25 PKR 69.4
20.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jhelum
Lahore
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.68 PKR 187
$0.97 PKR 269
-29.90%
White Bread (500g)
$0.62 PKR 170
$0.73 PKR 202
-15.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.25 PKR 347
$1.20 PKR 332
4.17%
Eggs
$1.25 PKR 346
$1.15 PKR 318
8.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.72 PKR 753
$6.16 PKR 1,705
-55.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.38 PKR 659
$2.63 PKR 727
-9.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$2.61 PKR 721
$4.98 PKR 1,378
-47.59%
Apples (1kg)
$1.11 PKR 307
$1.18 PKR 328
-5.93%
Banana (1kg)
$0.35 PKR 96.8
$0.64 PKR 177
-45.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.62 PKR 171
$0.84 PKR 232
-26.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.59 PKR 162
$0.64 PKR 177
-7.81%
Potato (1kg)
$0.30 PKR 83.3
$0.32 PKR 88.7
-6.25%
Onion (1kg)
$0.35 PKR 96.4
$0.36 PKR 101
-2.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.42 PKR 116
$0.48 PKR 132
-12.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 PKR 120
$0.35 PKR 96.6
22.86%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.87 PKR 517
$1.05 PKR 291
78.10%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 PKR 143
$0.64 PKR 177
-18.75%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 PKR 658
$1.67 PKR 462
42.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.42 PKR 392
$2.14 PKR 592
-33.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Jhelum
Lahore
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 PKR 49.26
$0.18 PKR 48.50
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.15 PKR 2,534
$5.38 PKR 1,490
70.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.05 PKR 291
$0.93 PKR 257
12.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.10 PKR 305
$0.70 PKR 193
57.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.82 PKR 781
$1.84 PKR 510
53.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 PKR 326
$1.35 PKR 374
-12.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.1K PKR 6.4M
$18.2K PKR 5.0M
26.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1K PKR 6.4M
$25.2K PKR 7.0M
-8.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jhelum
Lahore
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$66.5 PKR 18.4K
$129 PKR 35.6K
-48.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.75 PKR 1,592
$5.47 PKR 1,514
5.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.71 PKR 4,071
$16.58 PKR 4,590
-11.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jhelum
Lahore
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.14 PKR 4,191
$22.55 PKR 6,240
-32.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.50 PKR 2,354
$10.92 PKR 3,022
-22.16%
Cinema Ticket
$7.07 PKR 1,956
$4.20 PKR 1,163
68.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jhelum
Lahore
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$26.62 PKR 7,367
$48.64 PKR 13.5K
-45.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,986 PKR 549.7K
$2,013 PKR 557.0K
-1.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jhelum
Lahore
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.84 PKR 5,214
$17.94 PKR 4,964
5.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.91 PKR 7,449
$27.60 PKR 7,638
-2.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$54.4 PKR 15.1K
$74.4 PKR 20.6K
-26.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$30.21 PKR 8,362
$33.12 PKR 9,167
-8.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jhelum
Lahore
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$114 PKR 31.6K
$167 PKR 46.2K
-31.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$66.7 PKR 18.5K
$86.0 PKR 23.8K
-22.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$263 PKR 72.9K
$354 PKR 98.0K
-25.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$135 PKR 37.4K
$201 PKR 55.5K
-32.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$956 PKR 264.7K
$800 PKR 221.3K
19.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$551 PKR 152.5K
$606 PKR 167.6K
-9.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jhelum
Lahore
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$201 PKR 55.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.83
14.05
-15.80%

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

Last update for Jhelum: October 10, 2026

Last update for Lahore: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jhelum
$87
Lahore
$151 73.4% $64
Groceries & Markets
Jhelum
$72
Lahore
$97 34.2% $25
Accommodation & Living
Jhelum
$67
Lahore
$86 28.9% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Jhelum
$59
Lahore
$69 17.4% $10
Eating Out
Jhelum
$51
Lahore
$72 40.4% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Jhelum
$29
Lahore
$31 5.7% $1.7
Getting Around
Jhelum
$16
Lahore
$11 36.1% $5.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $114 in Jhelum and $167 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Jhelum vs $15.00 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $72.0 vs $97.0 per month, with Jhelum cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Jhelum
🇵🇰 Lahore
🕒 Local time
02:56 2:56 AM
02:56 2:56 AM
Same time as Jhelum
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
190,425
11,126,285
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Jhelum Lahore 160 km
From you
  • Jhelum
  • Lahore

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
Jhelum vs Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lahore cheaper than Jhelum?
Jhelum is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $573 in Jhelum and $775 in Lahore to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Jhelum and Lahore?
Rent for a central apartment: $114 in Jhelum versus $167 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Jhelum and in Lahore?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Lahore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Jhelum or in Lahore?
Dining out is cheaper in Jhelum – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $15.00 in Lahore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 enough for either Jhelum or Lahore?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Jhelum gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Jhelum or in Lahore?
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.
Which city is safer, Jhelum or Lahore?
Safety-wise, Jhelum and Lahore are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Jhelum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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