Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Lucknow Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Lucknow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $484 in Lahore versus $398 in Lucknow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $727 in Lahore versus $637 in Lucknow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $970 in Lahore versus $876 in Lucknow.

Living in Lahore is roughly 22% more expensive than in Lucknow, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 64% lower, Lucknow 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 580

$2.37 ₹228

-11.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.06 PKR 3,903

$11.62 ₹1,118

21.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.35 PKR 1,207

$3.43 ₹330

26.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PKR 765

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 PKR 1,018

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.50 ₹145

59.33%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.7

$0.33 ₹32.00

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.3

$0.13 ₹12.11

61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 ₹163

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 ₹240

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.78 ₹75.5

20.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.52 ₹50.2

9.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 337

$0.65 ₹62.7

86.15%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$0.99 ₹95.2

22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.18 PKR 1,717

$3.70 ₹356

67.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 PKR 839

$2.71 ₹261

11.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.55 PKR 1,263

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 293

$1.78 ₹171

-40.45%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.65 ₹62.2

-3.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 169

$0.87 ₹83.3

-29.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.56 ₹54.2

-16.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.32 ₹31.18

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 132

$0.45 ₹43.46

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.35 ₹33.44

34.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 98.3

$0.34 ₹32.37

2.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.11 PKR 308

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 PKR 143

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 306

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 546

$3.93 ₹378

-49.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 ₹777

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₹158

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ₹272

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.78 ₹557

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 51.2

$0.49 ₹46.75

-63.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.92 PKR 1,922

$10.28 ₹990

-32.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 202

$1.14 ₹109

-35.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.42 ₹40.17

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 PKR 501

$1.38 ₹133

30.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$1.21 ₹117

-20.66%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$15.5K ₹1.5M

12.50%

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

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

$23.8K ₹2.3M

-1.67%

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

$141 PKR 39.2K

$43.20 ₹4,159

226.81%

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

$5.31 PKR 1,473

$3.64 ₹350

45.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 PKR 4,811

$7.64 ₹736

126.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.73 PKR 3,813

$22.05 ₹2,122

-37.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 PKR 1,649

$8.81 ₹848

-32.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,191

$3.47 ₹334

23.63%

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

$34.60 PKR 9,608

$56.6 ₹5,447

-38.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,253 PKR 347.9K

$1,645 ₹158.3K

-23.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.40 PKR 4,276

$26.76 ₹2,577

-42.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.27 PKR 6,462

$24.48 ₹2,357

-4.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

$41.50 ₹3,995

73.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.56 PKR 8,486

$25.11 ₹2,417

21.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 PKR 33.3K

$148 ₹14.2K

-18.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

$88.8 ₹8,549

-14.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 PKR 80.9K

$356 ₹34.2K

-18.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.2K

$210 ₹20.2K

-10.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$844 PKR 234.5K

$1,152 ₹110.9K

-26.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 PKR 163.7K

$527 ₹50.7K

11.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.5K

$360 ₹34.7K

-48.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

8.72

127.98%

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

Last update for Lahore: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $120 in Lahore and $148 in Lucknow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lucknow pays 94% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Lahore vs $12.00 in Lucknow. Groceries flip the comparison at $94.0 vs $101, with Lahore cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lucknow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lahore and Lucknow differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($484 vs $398 including rent). Lucknow is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 94% lower in Lucknow. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $120 in Lahore versus $148 in Lucknow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lahore pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Lucknow – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $14.00 in Lahore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Lucknow gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Expats usually find Lucknow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.