Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Peshawar Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Peshawar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $492 in Lahore versus $379 in Peshawar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $746 in Lahore versus $564 in Peshawar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,001 in Lahore versus $749 in Peshawar.

Living in Lahore is roughly 30% more expensive than Peshawar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 582

$2.23 PKR 621

-6.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.24 PKR 3,961

$10.77 PKR 2,995

32.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 PKR 1,189

$3.58 PKR 996

19.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 PKR 774

$1.44 PKR 401

93.06%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 PKR 1,007

$2.73 PKR 758

32.60%

Cappuccino

$2.34 PKR 651

$1.77 PKR 492

32.20%

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

$0.36 PKR 99.3

$0.28 PKR 76.8

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.17 PKR 47.72

35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 247

$0.82 PKR 227

8.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.61 PKR 169

-6.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 PKR 324

$1.12 PKR 312

4.46%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.24 PKR 346

-3.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 PKR 1,700

$3.36 PKR 935

81.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 PKR 849

$3.07 PKR 855

-0.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.44 PKR 1,234

$3.66 PKR 1,017

21.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.04 PKR 290

-1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.65 PKR 180

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 168

$0.97 PKR 270

-38.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.45 PKR 126

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 90.2

$0.39 PKR 109

-17.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.45 PKR 124

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PKR 123

$0.22 PKR 61.1

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.32 PKR 88.1

18.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 PKR 258

$0.75 PKR 208

24.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 152

$1.56 PKR 435

-64.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 309

$3.48 PKR 969

-68.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 PKR 555

$1.80 PKR 502

10.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 52.7

$0.16 PKR 45.28

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.98 PKR 1,941

$6.90 PKR 1,918

1.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 194

$0.68 PKR 190

2.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 138

$0.75 PKR 209

-34.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 496

$1.82 PKR 507

-2.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 253

$1.00 PKR 278

-9.00%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

$11.9K PKR 3.3M

45.84%

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

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

4.36%

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

$138 PKR 38.3K

$96.3 PKR 26.8K

42.94%

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

$5.59 PKR 1,554

$4.24 PKR 1,179

31.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.01 PKR 4,733

$10.89 PKR 3,028

56.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.75 PKR 3,824

$9.91 PKR 2,757

38.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 PKR 1,595

$6.88 PKR 1,913

-16.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,206

$4.28 PKR 1,191

1.40%

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

$35.47 PKR 9,868

$30.41 PKR 8,459

16.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,238 PKR 344.3K

$519 PKR 144.5K

138.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.98 PKR 4,168

$13.14 PKR 3,656

14.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.69 PKR 6,311

$19.22 PKR 5,346

18.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 PKR 20.2K

$38.29 PKR 10.7K

89.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.85 PKR 8,304

$32.48 PKR 9,035

-8.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.9K

$119 PKR 33.2K

-1.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.7 PKR 21.3K

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

48.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 PKR 79.6K

$206 PKR 57.4K

38.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.2K

$95.5 PKR 26.6K

96.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$843 PKR 234.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$615 PKR 171.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 PKR 51.3K

$173 PKR 48.0K

6.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

21.17

-6.09%

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

Last update for Lahore: May 31, 2026

Last update for Peshawar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Lahore and $119 in Peshawar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lahore pays 7% 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 Peshawar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $93.0 vs $82.0 per month, with Peshawar 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 Peshawar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lahore and Peshawar differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($492 vs $379 including rent). Peshawar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lahore pays 7% 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 $119 in Peshawar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Lahore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Peshawar – 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 Peshawar 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 Peshawar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.