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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $492 per month in Lahore vs $407 in Karak, rent included.

A couple spends around $746 per month in Lahore vs $583 in Karak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,001 per month in Lahore vs $759 in Karak, rent included.

Lahore costs about 21% more than Karak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lahore and Karak are more affordable than the global median – Lahore 63% lower, Karak 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 582

$0.74 PKR 205

182.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.24 PKR 3,961

$7.00 PKR 1,948

103.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 PKR 1,189

$5.27 PKR 1,467

-18.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 PKR 774

$0.68 PKR 189

308.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 PKR 1,007

$4.00 PKR 1,112

-9.50%

Cappuccino

$2.34 PKR 651

$0.51 PKR 141

358.82%

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

$0.36 PKR 99.3

$0.34 PKR 93.3

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.24 PKR 66.9

-4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 247

$1.00 PKR 277

-11.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.51 PKR 141

11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 PKR 324

$1.04 PKR 288

12.50%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.09 PKR 303

10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,700

$1.81 PKR 503

237.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 PKR 849

$2.82 PKR 784

8.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.44 PKR 1,234

$4.29 PKR 1,194

3.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$0.72 PKR 201

41.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.55 PKR 153

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 168

$0.72 PKR 202

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.55 PKR 154

-12.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 90.2

$0.38 PKR 107

-15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.57 PKR 158

-15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PKR 123

$0.17 PKR 46.89

158.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.24 PKR 66.6

58.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.34 PKR 373

-30.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.91 PKR 253

-39.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 309

$1.98 PKR 552

-43.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 PKR 555

$2.14 PKR 595

-7.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.7

$0.18 PKR 49.76

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.98 PKR 1,941

$7.23 PKR 2,010

-3.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 194

$0.86 PKR 240

-18.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 138

$0.44 PKR 121

11.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 496

$2.84 PKR 791

-37.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$0.97 PKR 269

-6.19%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

-19.60%

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

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

$26.4K PKR 7.4M

-10.06%

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

$138 PKR 38.3K

$113 PKR 31.6K

21.33%

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

$5.59 PKR 1,554

$5.36 PKR 1,491

4.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.01 PKR 4,733

$18.48 PKR 5,141

-7.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.75 PKR 3,824

$12.19 PKR 3,391

12.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 PKR 1,595

$6.05 PKR 1,684

-5.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,206

$4.22 PKR 1,174

2.84%

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

$35.47 PKR 9,869

$59.1 PKR 16.5K

-40.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,238 PKR 344.3K

$1,129 PKR 314.1K

9.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.98 PKR 4,168

$21.57 PKR 6,001

-30.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.69 PKR 6,311

$27.73 PKR 7,714

-18.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 PKR 20.2K

$90.1 PKR 25.1K

-19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.85 PKR 8,304

$40.80 PKR 11.4K

-26.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.9K

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

60.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.7 PKR 21.3K

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

48.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 PKR 79.6K

$167 PKR 46.5K

71.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.2K

$104 PKR 29.1K

79.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$843 PKR 234.4K

$1,127 PKR 313.5K

-25.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$615 PKR 171.2K

$580 PKR 161.3K

6.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 PKR 51.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

20.2

-1.58%

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

Last update for Lahore: May 31, 2026

Last update for Karak: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Lahore versus $73.7 in Karak. 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 $14.00 in Lahore versus $7.00 in Karak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $93.0 vs $74.0 – 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

Lahore vs Karak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lahore costs about 21% 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 $738 per month in Lahore and $610 in Karak. 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 4% less in Karak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $35.47 per month in Lahore and $59.1 in Karak. 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 $492 in Lahore and $407 in Karak, 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.