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: $511 in Lahore versus $386 in Lucknow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $783 in Lahore versus $592 in Lucknow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,055 in Lahore versus $797 in Lucknow.

Living in Lahore is roughly 32% more expensive than in Lucknow, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 63% lower, Lucknow 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 PKR 708

$1.89 ₹181

35.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.52 PKR 4,022

$10.38 ₹992

39.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PKR 1,563

$3.11 ₹297

81.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 PKR 1,001

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 PKR 1,524

Cappuccino

$2.66 PKR 738

$1.59 ₹152

67.30%

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

$0.42 PKR 117

$0.37 ₹35.65

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 65.9

$0.12 ₹11.26

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 ₹156

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₹228

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 252

$0.74 ₹71.1

22.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 PKR 188

$0.45 ₹42.90

51.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 338

$0.59 ₹56.8

106.78%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 338

$1.01 ₹96.9

20.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.37 PKR 1,764

$3.67 ₹351

73.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.51 PKR 696

$2.59 ₹247

-3.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.80 PKR 1,331

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 PKR 322

$1.71 ₹163

-32.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 PKR 181

$0.63 ₹59.9

3.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.93 ₹89.1

-3.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.62 PKR 172

$0.51 ₹48.53

21.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 83.5

$0.30 ₹28.38

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 97.8

$0.45 ₹42.56

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 PKR 128

$0.45 ₹43.12

2.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.32 ₹30.78

12.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.06 PKR 295

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 PKR 178

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 PKR 478

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 PKR 590

$5.07 ₹484

-57.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 ₹823

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₹159

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 ₹246

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

$5.72 ₹546

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.22

$0.44 ₹41.85

-61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.48 PKR 1,518

$5.21 ₹498

5.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 256

$0.92 ₹88.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.22 ₹21.03

236.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 PKR 508

$1.19 ₹114

53.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 PKR 354

$1.12 ₹107

14.29%

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

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

$12.5K ₹1.2M

42.38%

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

$26.9K PKR 7.4M

$22.1K ₹2.1M

21.81%

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

$129 PKR 35.6K

$53.2 ₹5,080

141.79%

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

$5.08 PKR 1,408

$3.66 ₹350

38.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.23 PKR 4,496

$8.78 ₹839

84.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.31 PKR 5,905

$15.75 ₹1,505

35.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.03 PKR 3,056

$6.97 ₹666

58.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 PKR 1,217

$3.26 ₹311

34.66%

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

$45.79 PKR 12.7K

$39.71 ₹3,794

15.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,968 PKR 545.1K

$1,008 ₹96.3K

95.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.31 PKR 4,795

$23.50 ₹2,246

-26.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.36 PKR 7,302

$24.67 ₹2,357

6.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 PKR 20.5K

$38.15 ₹3,645

94.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.11 PKR 8,619

$25.32 ₹2,419

22.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 PKR 44.1K

$129 ₹12.3K

23.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.8 PKR 22.9K

$77.4 ₹7,391

7.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 PKR 92.7K

$355 ₹33.9K

-5.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 PKR 54.7K

$173 ₹16.5K

14.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$781 PKR 216.3K

$1,300 ₹124.2K

-39.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$597 PKR 165.3K

$551 ₹52.6K

8.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 PKR 52.7K

$339 ₹32.4K

-43.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.28

8.53

67.41%

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

Last update for Lahore: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $159 in Lahore and $129 in Lucknow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lucknow pays 78% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in Lahore vs $10.00 in Lucknow. Groceries flip the comparison at $96.0 vs $99.0, 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 32% in total monthly costs ($511 vs $386 including rent). Lucknow is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 78% 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: $159 in Lahore versus $129 in Lucknow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lahore pay roughly 3% 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 $10.00 versus $15.00 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 32% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.