Cost of Living Comparison Between Karak and Lahore Cost of Living Comparison Between Karak and Lahore

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $428 per month in Karak vs $500 in Lahore, rent included.

A couple spends around $625 per month in Karak vs $765 in Lahore, rent included.

A family of three spends $822 per month in Karak vs $1,030 in Lahore, rent included.

Karak is about 14% cheaper than Lahore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Karak and Lahore are more affordable than the global median – Karak 69% lower, Lahore 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.75 PKR 207

$2.59 PKR 719

-71.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.31 PKR 2,027

$14.55 PKR 4,034

-49.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 PKR 1,527

$5.66 PKR 1,569

-2.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.75 PKR 207

$3.56 PKR 988

-78.93%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 PKR 1,879

$5.54 PKR 1,536

22.38%

Cappuccino

$0.56 PKR 155

$2.51 PKR 697

-77.69%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 98.9

$0.43 PKR 119

-16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.7

$0.26 PKR 72.7

-15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$0.85 PKR 237

10.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.72 PKR 199

-20.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 PKR 302

$1.17 PKR 325

-6.84%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.25 PKR 346

-11.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.77 PKR 490

$6.41 PKR 1,778

-72.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 PKR 795

$2.45 PKR 678

17.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 PKR 1,205

$4.72 PKR 1,310

-7.84%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$1.17 PKR 323

-41.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$0.66 PKR 182

-21.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.85 PKR 235

-14.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.60 PKR 167

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$0.30 PKR 83.9

-3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 89.6

$0.33 PKR 90.9

-3.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.16 PKR 43.33

$0.45 PKR 124

-64.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 PKR 72.7

$0.36 PKR 101

-27.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 PKR 512

$1.09 PKR 303

69.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 368

$0.65 PKR 180

104.62%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 676

$1.71 PKR 475

42.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 PKR 638

$2.15 PKR 596

6.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.06

$0.18 PKR 49.73

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.59 PKR 2,383

$5.27 PKR 1,461

63.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 PKR 355

$0.88 PKR 243

45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 PKR 203

$0.69 PKR 192

5.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 PKR 437

$1.77 PKR 490

-10.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PKR 347

$1.26 PKR 350

-0.79%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

21.62%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.5K PKR 7.1M

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

-3.95%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$103 PKR 28.5K

$124 PKR 34.3K

-16.70%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$5.81 PKR 1,611

$5.17 PKR 1,432

12.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.19 PKR 4,489

$16.25 PKR 4,507

-0.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.60 PKR 4,601

$19.21 PKR 5,325

-13.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.62 PKR 2,944

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 PKR 1,326

$4.30 PKR 1,191

11.16%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$75.3 PKR 20.9K

$44.27 PKR 12.3K

70.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$996 PKR 276.1K

$1,982 PKR 549.5K

-49.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.90 PKR 6,626

$16.83 PKR 4,665

42.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.81 PKR 8,819

$25.65 PKR 7,111

24.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 PKR 22.7K

$75.3 PKR 20.9K

8.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.51 PKR 11.0K

$29.41 PKR 8,153

34.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 35.9K

$151 PKR 42.0K

-14.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.3 PKR 23.4K

$80.3 PKR 22.3K

5.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 PKR 79.0K

$317 PKR 87.9K

-10.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 PKR 43.0K

$191 PKR 53.1K

-18.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$804 PKR 222.9K

$840 PKR 232.9K

-4.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$585 PKR 162.2K

$594 PKR 164.6K

-1.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 PKR 50.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

14.22

-8.02%

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

Last update for Karak: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lahore: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $130 in Karak versus $151 in Lahore. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $7.00 in Karak versus $15.00 in Lahore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $74.0 vs $95.0 – making Karak the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Karak vs Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lahore costs about 17% more than Karak, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $642 per month in Karak and $749 in Lahore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karak, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 63% less in Karak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $75.3 per month in Karak and $44.27 in Lahore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $428 in Karak and $500 in Lahore, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Karak – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Karak. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lahore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.