Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Quetta Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Quetta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $497 in Lahore versus $348 in Quetta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $750 in Lahore versus $548 in Quetta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,003 in Lahore versus $747 in Quetta.

Living in Lahore is roughly 43% more expensive than Quetta, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 63% lower, Quetta 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 PKR 587

$3.45 PKR 962

-39.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.95 PKR 3,888

$10.48 PKR 2,922

33.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 PKR 1,198

$4.53 PKR 1,264

-5.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 PKR 795

$1.81 PKR 503

57.46%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 PKR 1,049

$1.55 PKR 433

142.58%

Cappuccino

$2.37 PKR 660

$1.66 PKR 463

42.77%

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

$0.33 PKR 91.7

$0.46 PKR 128

-28.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.4

$0.20 PKR 55.7

5.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$0.68 PKR 190

41.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.44 PKR 122

29.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.03 PKR 288

16.50%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 322

$1.13 PKR 314

2.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.87 PKR 1,638

$6.18 PKR 1,723

-5.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 PKR 848

$2.59 PKR 721

17.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.61 PKR 1,284

$4.21 PKR 1,174

9.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 296

$1.03 PKR 287

2.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 PKR 181

$0.52 PKR 146

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.56 PKR 156

3.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 125

$0.51 PKR 143

-11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.0

$0.31 PKR 87.0

6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.50 PKR 140

-4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PKR 123

$0.35 PKR 98.1

25.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 98.5

$0.32 PKR 90.4

9.37%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.71 PKR 197

$1.45 PKR 403

-51.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.34 PKR 94.1

64.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 PKR 300

$2.10 PKR 585

-48.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 550

$0.69 PKR 193

185.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.16

$0.18 PKR 50.3

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.94 PKR 1,936

$5.42 PKR 1,512

28.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 PKR 201

$0.37 PKR 102

94.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 138

$0.65 PKR 182

-24.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 PKR 499

$1.82 PKR 507

-1.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 252

$0.96 PKR 268

-6.25%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

-17.26%

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

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

$12.4K PKR 3.5M

84.48%

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

$138 PKR 38.5K

$53.8 PKR 15.0K

156.63%

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

$5.46 PKR 1,521

$6.39 PKR 1,781

-14.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 PKR 4,832

$14.35 PKR 4,001

20.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.41 PKR 3,737

$4.99 PKR 1,390

168.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 PKR 1,618

$6.00 PKR 1,673

-3.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 PKR 1,179

$2.80 PKR 780

51.07%

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

$35.14 PKR 9,796

$34.87 PKR 9,721

0.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,221 PKR 340.3K

$426 PKR 118.6K

186.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.11 PKR 4,212

$7.22 PKR 2,013

109.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.95 PKR 6,397

$7.20 PKR 2,007

218.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 PKR 20.5K

$87.5 PKR 24.4K

-16.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.90 PKR 8,334

$29.40 PKR 8,196

1.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

$71.0 PKR 19.8K

65.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 PKR 21.4K

$48.89 PKR 13.6K

56.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 PKR 79.2K

$160 PKR 44.5K

78.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.5K

$98.4 PKR 27.4K

91.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$812 PKR 226.3K

$384 PKR 107.0K

111.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$607 PKR 169.1K

$221 PKR 61.6K

174.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 PKR 49.9K

$216 PKR 60.2K

-17.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

65.67%

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

Last update for Lahore: April 27, 2026

Last update for Quetta: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Lahore and $71.0 in Quetta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quetta pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Lahore vs $10.00 in Quetta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $93.0 vs $84.0 per month, with Quetta 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 Quetta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lahore and Quetta differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($497 vs $348 including rent). Quetta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Quetta earns 21% less. 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: $118 in Lahore versus $71.0 in Quetta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Lahore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Quetta – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $14.00 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 Quetta 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 Quetta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.