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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $484 per month in Lahore vs $399 in Karak, rent included.

A couple spends around $727 per month in Lahore vs $580 in Karak, rent included.

A family of three spends $970 per month in Lahore vs $760 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 64% lower, Karak 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 580

$0.69 PKR 192

202.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.06 PKR 3,903

$6.88 PKR 1,909

104.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.35 PKR 1,207

$5.45 PKR 1,514

-20.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PKR 765

$0.69 PKR 193

298.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 PKR 1,018

$4.00 PKR 1,112

-8.50%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$0.51 PKR 142

368.63%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.7

$0.37 PKR 102

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.3

$0.22 PKR 61.0

-4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$1.01 PKR 280

-6.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.54 PKR 151

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.08 PKR 300

12.04%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.08 PKR 300

12.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.18 PKR 1,717

$1.72 PKR 478

259.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 PKR 839

$2.76 PKR 767

9.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.55 PKR 1,263

$4.28 PKR 1,189

6.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 293

$0.72 PKR 200

47.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.51 PKR 141

23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 169

$0.73 PKR 203

-16.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.59 PKR 164

-20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.39 PKR 107

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 132

$0.54 PKR 150

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.19 PKR 52.6

147.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 98.3

$0.24 PKR 66.2

45.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.11 PKR 308

$1.42 PKR 393

-21.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 PKR 143

$0.88 PKR 243

-42.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 306

$2.03 PKR 565

-45.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 546

$2.17 PKR 602

-9.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 51.2

$0.20 PKR 56.0

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.92 PKR 1,922

$7.02 PKR 1,948

-1.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 202

$0.85 PKR 235

-14.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.41 PKR 113

19.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 PKR 501

$2.89 PKR 803

-37.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$0.96 PKR 267

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

-19.11%

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

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

-12.03%

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

$141 PKR 39.2K

$111 PKR 30.8K

27.32%

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

$5.31 PKR 1,473

$5.58 PKR 1,549

-4.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 PKR 4,811

$18.84 PKR 5,232

-8.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.73 PKR 3,813

$12.33 PKR 3,425

11.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 PKR 1,649

$5.91 PKR 1,640

0.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,191

$4.21 PKR 1,169

1.90%

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

$34.60 PKR 9,608

$60.6 PKR 16.8K

-42.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,253 PKR 347.9K

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

12.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.40 PKR 4,276

$21.53 PKR 5,979

-28.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.27 PKR 6,462

$28.08 PKR 7,796

-17.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

$88.5 PKR 24.6K

-18.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.56 PKR 8,486

$40.05 PKR 11.1K

-23.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 PKR 33.3K

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

59.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

$52.1 PKR 14.5K

45.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 PKR 80.9K

$166 PKR 46.2K

74.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.2K

$105 PKR 29.2K

79.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$844 PKR 234.5K

$1,009 PKR 280.1K

-16.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 PKR 163.7K

$434 PKR 120.5K

35.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Karak: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $120 in Lahore versus $75.1 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: $94.0 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 $726 per month in Lahore and $599 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 1% less in Karak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $34.60 per month in Lahore and $60.6 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 $484 in Lahore and $399 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.