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: $491 in Lahore versus $346 in Quetta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $733 in Lahore versus $537 in Quetta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $974 in Lahore versus $728 in Quetta.

Living in Lahore is roughly 42% more expensive than in Quetta, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 573

$3.52 PKR 977

-41.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.19 PKR 3,938

$10.63 PKR 2,950

33.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 PKR 1,193

$4.38 PKR 1,216

-1.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 PKR 765

$1.72 PKR 478

60.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 PKR 1,012

$1.55 PKR 431

135.48%

Cappuccino

$2.28 PKR 632

$1.70 PKR 471

34.12%

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

$0.33 PKR 91.2

$0.42 PKR 117

-21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.1

$0.20 PKR 55.4

15.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 PKR 242

$0.74 PKR 206

17.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.46 PKR 128

21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 337

$1.03 PKR 285

18.45%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 339

$1.12 PKR 310

8.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,679

$5.92 PKR 1,644

2.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 PKR 824

$2.58 PKR 716

15.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.58 PKR 1,271

$4.12 PKR 1,143

11.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 296

$1.04 PKR 289

2.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 168

$0.55 PKR 154

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.57 PKR 157

7.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.48 PKR 133

-2.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.31 PKR 87.2

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.48 PKR 132

2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.35 PKR 98.5

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 99.1

$0.32 PKR 90.1

12.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.10 PKR 306

$1.45 PKR 402

-24.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.34 PKR 93.1

61.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 PKR 295

$2.09 PKR 581

-49.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 PKR 553

$0.69 PKR 192

188.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.62

$0.16 PKR 43.93

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 PKR 2,011

$5.23 PKR 1,453

38.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 201

$0.36 PKR 101

102.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.62 PKR 171

-20.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 PKR 499

$1.73 PKR 481

4.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.97 PKR 268

-7.22%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-17.04%

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

$23.2K PKR 6.4M

$12.1K PKR 3.4M

91.14%

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

$141 PKR 39.2K

$52.6 PKR 14.6K

168.47%

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

$5.33 PKR 1,480

$6.41 PKR 1,778

-16.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 PKR 4,819

$14.32 PKR 3,975

21.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.27 PKR 3,683

$4.96 PKR 1,378

167.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 PKR 1,615

$5.76 PKR 1,600

1.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,187

$2.90 PKR 805

47.59%

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

$35.23 PKR 9,779

$34.09 PKR 9,461

3.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,230 PKR 341.4K

$417 PKR 115.7K

195.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.42 PKR 4,278

$6.98 PKR 1,937

120.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.35 PKR 6,481

$7.24 PKR 2,010

222.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

$87.1 PKR 24.2K

-15.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.02 PKR 8,330

$29.59 PKR 8,213

1.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$121 PKR 33.5K

$69.8 PKR 19.4K

72.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 PKR 21.2K

$49.30 PKR 13.7K

54.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 PKR 80.9K

$159 PKR 44.1K

83.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 PKR 52.0K

$96.5 PKR 26.8K

94.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$846 PKR 234.7K

$376 PKR 104.2K

125.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$598 PKR 166.0K

$214 PKR 59.3K

179.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 PKR 51.1K

$271 PKR 75.3K

-32.15%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Quetta: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $121 in Lahore and $69.8 in Quetta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quetta pays 47% 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 $11.00 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 42% in total monthly costs ($491 vs $346 including rent). Quetta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 47% lower in Quetta. 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: $121 in Lahore versus $69.8 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 $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 $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 42% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.