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: $484 in Lahore versus $372 in Peshawar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $727 in Lahore versus $554 in Peshawar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $970 in Lahore versus $736 in Peshawar.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 64% lower, Peshawar 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 580

$2.34 PKR 651

-10.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.06 PKR 3,903

$10.75 PKR 2,985

30.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.35 PKR 1,207

$3.60 PKR 1,000

20.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PKR 765

$1.43 PKR 398

92.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 PKR 1,018

$2.61 PKR 725

40.23%

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.82 PKR 506

31.32%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.7

$0.28 PKR 76.8

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.3

$0.18 PKR 49.00

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$0.81 PKR 225

16.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.12 PKR 312

8.04%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.19 PKR 330

1.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.18 PKR 1,717

$3.38 PKR 939

82.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 PKR 839

$3.14 PKR 872

-3.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.55 PKR 1,263

$3.78 PKR 1,051

20.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 293

$1.04 PKR 288

1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$0.61 PKR 169

3.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 169

$0.92 PKR 255

-33.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.43 PKR 119

9.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.40 PKR 110

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 132

$0.45 PKR 125

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.24 PKR 66.7

95.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 98.3

$0.32 PKR 88.8

9.37%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.11 PKR 308

$0.68 PKR 190

63.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 PKR 143

$1.63 PKR 452

-68.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 306

$3.60 PKR 999

-69.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 546

$1.88 PKR 522

4.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 51.2

$0.20 PKR 55.1

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.92 PKR 1,922

$6.91 PKR 1,918

0.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 202

$0.69 PKR 190

5.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.73 PKR 204

-32.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 PKR 501

$1.81 PKR 504

-0.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$1.00 PKR 278

-4.00%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$11.9K PKR 3.3M

46.37%

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

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

$22.6K PKR 6.3M

3.88%

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

$141 PKR 39.2K

$98.5 PKR 27.3K

43.40%

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

$5.31 PKR 1,473

$4.32 PKR 1,201

22.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 PKR 4,811

$10.62 PKR 2,949

63.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.73 PKR 3,813

$9.96 PKR 2,766

37.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 PKR 1,649

$6.66 PKR 1,850

-10.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,191

$4.19 PKR 1,164

2.39%

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

$34.60 PKR 9,608

$29.39 PKR 8,162

17.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,253 PKR 347.9K

$518 PKR 143.7K

142.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.40 PKR 4,276

$13.06 PKR 3,628

17.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.27 PKR 6,462

$19.62 PKR 5,447

18.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

$38.69 PKR 10.7K

85.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.56 PKR 8,486

$32.49 PKR 9,022

-5.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 PKR 33.3K

$120 PKR 33.2K

0.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

47.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 PKR 80.9K

$202 PKR 56.1K

44.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.2K

$95.0 PKR 26.4K

98.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$844 PKR 234.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 PKR 163.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.5K

$128 PKR 35.5K

45.13%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Peshawar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Lahore pays 45% 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 $94.0 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 ($484 vs $372 including rent). Peshawar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 45% 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: $120 in Lahore versus $120 in Peshawar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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.