Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Mehar

For one person, living is cheaper in Mehar: $447 a month against $516 in Lahore, rent and utilities included – about $830 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
22

Cost of Living Index in Mehar
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Mehar Living Index

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Lahore

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$516

/mo nomad

Mehar

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$447

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lahore and in Mehar

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 Mehar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $516 in Lahore versus $447 in Mehar.

Lahore $516
Mehar $447

Estimated couple costs with rent: $784 in Lahore versus $667 in Mehar.

Lahore $784
Mehar $667

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,052 in Lahore versus $887 in Mehar.

Lahore $1,052
Mehar $887

Living in Lahore is roughly 15% more expensive than in Mehar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 62% lower, Mehar 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 PKR 708

$2.12 PKR 586

20.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.40 PKR 3,985

$10.76 PKR 2,977

33.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 PKR 1,615

$5.37 PKR 1,487

8.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 PKR 998

$2.46 PKR 682

46.34%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 PKR 1,493

$5.36 PKR 1,482

0.75%

Cappuccino

$2.66 PKR 735

$1.58 PKR 437

68.35%

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

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.35 PKR 97.0

8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.7

$0.17 PKR 48.28

35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 254

$0.84 PKR 231

9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 PKR 217

$0.62 PKR 172

25.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 341

$1.12 PKR 311

9.82%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 321

$1.20 PKR 332

-3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 PKR 1,698

$5.71 PKR 1,580

7.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 PKR 724

$2.57 PKR 712

1.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.83 PKR 1,336

$5.03 PKR 1,391

-3.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 327

$1.16 PKR 320

1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 192

$0.55 PKR 151

25.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 240

$0.79 PKR 218

10.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 PKR 179

$0.56 PKR 156

16.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 88.9

$0.30 PKR 83.5

6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 109

$0.38 PKR 106

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 PKR 141

$0.42 PKR 115

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 95.6

$0.35 PKR 95.7

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.07 PKR 296

$1.81 PKR 502

-40.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 PKR 180

$1.06 PKR 293

-38.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 PKR 455

$2.37 PKR 657

-30.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.19 PKR 607

$2.02 PKR 559

8.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.7

$0.20 PKR 54.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.44 PKR 1,506

$9.77 PKR 2,703

-44.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 PKR 254

$1.10 PKR 304

-16.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 194

$0.71 PKR 196

-1.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 492

$1.64 PKR 453

8.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.24 PKR 342

8.06%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$22.1K PKR 6.1M

-18.27%

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

$23.6K PKR 6.5M

$24.3K PKR 6.7M

-2.86%

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

$128 PKR 35.4K

$101 PKR 28.0K

26.07%

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

$5.46 PKR 1,512

$5.71 PKR 1,581

-4.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.41 PKR 4,542

$14.30 PKR 3,958

14.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.38 PKR 6,194

$15.17 PKR 4,199

47.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.32 PKR 3,134

$7.92 PKR 2,191

42.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,185

$4.39 PKR 1,215

-2.51%

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

$51.2 PKR 14.2K

$42.99 PKR 11.9K

19.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,067 PKR 572.2K

$1,021 PKR 282.7K

102.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.08 PKR 5,003

$16.60 PKR 4,595

8.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.28 PKR 7,827

$23.60 PKR 6,531

19.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 PKR 20.1K

$67.9 PKR 18.8K

6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.39 PKR 8,966

$33.37 PKR 9,235

-2.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 PKR 45.8K

$128 PKR 35.5K

29.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.4 PKR 24.2K

$77.4 PKR 21.4K

12.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 PKR 96.9K

$249 PKR 69.0K

40.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.7K

$151 PKR 41.8K

33.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$786 PKR 217.6K

$949 PKR 262.6K

-17.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$592 PKR 163.9K

$483 PKR 133.8K

22.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$199 PKR 55.2K

$109 PKR 30.0K

83.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.05

8.08%

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

Last update for Lahore: October 17, 2026

Last update for Mehar: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lahore

$150 29%

Mehar

$121 27.1% 18.9% $28

Groceries & Markets

Lahore

$97 18.8%

Mehar

$91 20.5% 6% $5.8

Accommodation & Living

Lahore

$87 16.9%

Mehar

$77 17.3% 11.5% $10

Eating Out

Lahore

$72 14%

Mehar

$54 12.1% 25.1% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Lahore

$68 13.2%

Mehar

$64 14.2% 6.5% $4.5

Sport & Entertainment

Lahore

$31 6%

Mehar

$24 5.4% 22.6% $7

Getting Around

Lahore

$11 2.1%

Mehar

$15 3.4% 42.6% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $166 in Lahore and $128 in Mehar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lahore pays 84% 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 $97.0 vs $91.0 per month, with Mehar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Lahore

🇵🇰 Mehar

🕒 Local time

19:53 7:53 PM

Same time as Lahore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,126,285

💱 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

On the map

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Between locations

Lahore Mehar 800 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Lahore
Mehar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 15% in total monthly costs ($516 vs $447 including rent). Mehar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 84% higher in Lahore, 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: $166 in Lahore versus $128 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 15% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.