Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Karak

For one person, living is cheaper in Karak: $434 a month against $516 in Lahore, rent and utilities included – about $980 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Lahore
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Lahore Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Karak
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Karak Living Index

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Lahore

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$516

/mo nomad

Karak

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$434

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lahore and in Karak

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

A single person spends $516 per month in Lahore vs $434 in Karak, rent included.

Lahore $516
Karak $434

A couple spends around $784 per month in Lahore vs $636 in Karak, rent included.

Lahore $784
Karak $636

A family of three spends $1,052 per month in Lahore vs $838 in Karak, rent included.

Lahore $1,052
Karak $838

Lahore costs about 19% more than Karak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Lahore and Karak are more affordable than the global median – Lahore 62% lower, Karak 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 PKR 708

$0.70 PKR 193

265.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.40 PKR 3,985

$7.41 PKR 2,050

94.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 PKR 1,615

$5.38 PKR 1,489

8.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 PKR 998

$0.73 PKR 203

393.15%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 PKR 1,493

$7.01 PKR 1,939

-22.97%

Cappuccino

$2.66 PKR 735

$0.57 PKR 157

366.67%

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

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.36 PKR 98.5

5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.7

$0.23 PKR 63.9

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 254

$0.93 PKR 258

-1.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 PKR 217

$0.53 PKR 145

47.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 341

$1.05 PKR 292

17.14%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 321

$1.10 PKR 304

5.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 PKR 1,698

$1.78 PKR 492

244.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 PKR 724

$2.93 PKR 810

-10.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.83 PKR 1,336

$4.41 PKR 1,221

9.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 327

$0.69 PKR 192

71.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 192

$0.55 PKR 153

25.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 240

$0.75 PKR 207

16.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 PKR 179

$0.52 PKR 144

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 88.9

$0.29 PKR 80.5

10.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 109

$0.38 PKR 106

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.17 PKR 48.32

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 95.6

$0.24 PKR 65.8

45.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.07 PKR 296

$1.86 PKR 515

-42.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 PKR 180

$1.19 PKR 331

-45.38%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 PKR 455

$2.35 PKR 652

-30.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.19 PKR 607

$2.33 PKR 645

-6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.7

$0.19 PKR 51.7

5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.44 PKR 1,506

$9.86 PKR 2,730

-44.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 254

$1.23 PKR 341

-25.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 194

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 492

$1.58 PKR 438

12.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.38 PKR 381

-2.90%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$21.8K PKR 6.0M

-17.12%

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

$23.6K PKR 6.5M

$24.3K PKR 6.7M

-2.73%

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

$128 PKR 35.4K

$101 PKR 27.9K

26.89%

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

$5.46 PKR 1,512

$6.03 PKR 1,669

-9.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.41 PKR 4,542

$16.84 PKR 4,660

-2.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.38 PKR 6,194

$14.67 PKR 4,061

52.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.32 PKR 3,134

$8.25 PKR 2,282

37.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,185

$4.24 PKR 1,172

0.94%

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

$51.2 PKR 14.2K

$76.0 PKR 21.0K

-32.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,067 PKR 572.2K

$1,060 PKR 293.3K

95.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.08 PKR 5,003

$26.54 PKR 7,346

-31.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.28 PKR 7,827

$35.24 PKR 9,753

-19.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 PKR 20.1K

$97.5 PKR 27.0K

-25.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.39 PKR 8,966

$41.37 PKR 11.4K

-21.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 PKR 45.8K

$128 PKR 35.5K

29.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.4 PKR 24.2K

$77.1 PKR 21.3K

13.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 PKR 96.9K

$258 PKR 71.3K

35.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.7K

$147 PKR 40.8K

36.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$786 PKR 217.6K

$922 PKR 255.1K

-14.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$592 PKR 163.9K

$486 PKR 134.5K

21.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$199 PKR 55.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.05

13.08

7.42%

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

Last update for Lahore: October 17, 2026

Last update for Karak: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lahore

$150 29%

Karak

$124 28.5% 17.4% $26

Groceries & Markets

Lahore

$97 18.8%

Karak

$74 17% 23.9% $23

Accommodation & Living

Lahore

$87 16.9%

Karak

$77 17.8% 11.8% $10

Eating Out

Lahore

$72 14%

Karak

$31 7.1% 57.3% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Lahore

$68 13.2%

Karak

$90 20.8% 32.6% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Lahore

$31 6%

Karak

$23 5.3% 25.2% $7.8

Getting Around

Lahore

$11 2.1%

Karak

$15 3.5% 43.9% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $166 in Lahore versus $128 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: $97.0 vs $74.0 – making Karak the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Lahore

🇵🇰 Karak

🕒 Local time

21:05 9:05 PM

Same time as Lahore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,126,285

51,149

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 19% more than Karak, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $774 per month in Lahore and $651 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 81% less in Karak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $51.2 per month in Lahore and $76.0 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 $516 in Lahore and $434 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.