Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Mehar Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Mehar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $492 in Lahore versus $390 in Mehar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $746 in Lahore versus $584 in Mehar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,001 in Lahore versus $778 in Mehar.

Living in Lahore is roughly 26% more expensive than Mehar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 63% lower, Mehar 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 583

$1.75 PKR 488

19.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.24 PKR 3,962

$10.59 PKR 2,946

34.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 PKR 1,189

$3.99 PKR 1,110

7.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 PKR 774

$1.74 PKR 484

59.77%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 PKR 1,007

$3.44 PKR 957

5.23%

Cappuccino

$2.34 PKR 652

$1.44 PKR 402

62.50%

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

$0.36 PKR 99.3

$0.35 PKR 96.3

2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.23 PKR 64.1

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 247

$0.78 PKR 216

14.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.56 PKR 156

1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 PKR 324

$1.20 PKR 334

-2.50%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.17 PKR 326

2.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,700

$6.12 PKR 1,703

-0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 PKR 849

$2.68 PKR 747

13.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.44 PKR 1,234

$3.77 PKR 1,050

17.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.04 PKR 289

-1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.65 PKR 180

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 168

$0.61 PKR 170

-1.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 90.2

$0.38 PKR 105

-15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.51 PKR 141

-5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PKR 123

$0.33 PKR 93.1

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.34 PKR 93.7

11.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.49 PKR 416

-37.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.93 PKR 259

-40.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 309

$2.03 PKR 565

-45.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 PKR 555

$1.92 PKR 535

3.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.8

$0.20 PKR 55.2

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.98 PKR 1,942

$7.24 PKR 2,013

-3.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 194

$0.91 PKR 255

-23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 138

$0.44 PKR 122

11.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 496

$1.82 PKR 507

-2.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

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

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-19.31%

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

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

$23.2K PKR 6.5M

2.36%

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

$138 PKR 38.3K

$103 PKR 28.6K

33.76%

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

$5.59 PKR 1,555

$4.08 PKR 1,136

37.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.01 PKR 4,734

$13.55 PKR 3,770

25.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.75 PKR 3,825

$12.53 PKR 3,487

9.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 PKR 1,595

$5.98 PKR 1,665

-4.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,207

$3.52 PKR 980

23.30%

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

$35.47 PKR 9,872

$30.10 PKR 8,377

17.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,238 PKR 344.4K

$1,126 PKR 313.4K

9.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.98 PKR 4,169

$14.93 PKR 4,155

0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.69 PKR 6,313

$21.83 PKR 6,076

3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 PKR 20.2K

$70.0 PKR 19.5K

3.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.85 PKR 8,306

$29.41 PKR 8,183

1.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.9K

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

59.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.7 PKR 21.3K

$50.8 PKR 14.1K

50.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 PKR 79.6K

$167 PKR 46.6K

70.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.2K

$106 PKR 29.5K

77.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$843 PKR 234.5K

$1,059 PKR 294.8K

-20.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$615 PKR 171.3K

$463 PKR 128.9K

32.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 PKR 51.3K

$106 PKR 29.5K

74.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

4.63%

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

Last update for Lahore: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mehar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Lahore and $73.9 in Mehar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lahore pays 74% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Lahore vs $11.00 in Mehar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $93.0 vs $87.0 per month, with Mehar cheaper across the board.

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 Mehar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lahore and Mehar differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($492 vs $390 including rent). Mehar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lahore pays 74% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $118 in Lahore versus $73.9 in Mehar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Lahore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mehar – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $14.00 in Lahore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Mehar 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 Mehar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.