Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Sahiwal Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Sahiwal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $480 in Lahore versus $372 in Sahiwal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $726 in Lahore versus $566 in Sahiwal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $972 in Lahore versus $759 in Sahiwal.

Living in Lahore is roughly 29% more expensive than Sahiwal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.17 PKR 602

$1.74 PKR 483

24.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.93 PKR 3,872

$10.52 PKR 2,924

32.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 PKR 1,152

$4.18 PKR 1,161

-0.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PKR 764

$2.41 PKR 670

14.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 PKR 1,039

$3.68 PKR 1,022

1.63%

Cappuccino

$2.28 PKR 635

$1.72 PKR 479

32.56%

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

$0.32 PKR 90.3

$0.33 PKR 91.6

-3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.2

$0.19 PKR 52.5

10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 248

$0.65 PKR 180

36.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.43 PKR 120

32.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.13 PKR 313

6.19%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.21 PKR 337

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 PKR 1,659

$5.98 PKR 1,662

-0.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 PKR 840

$3.00 PKR 835

0.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.49 PKR 1,249

$4.56 PKR 1,267

-1.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 296

$1.06 PKR 295

0.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 169

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.34 PKR 94.2

79.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.43 PKR 118

11.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 90.1

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.52 PKR 145

-5.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PKR 123

$0.47 PKR 131

-6.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.36 PKR 101

8.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 PKR 260

$0.87 PKR 241

6.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 PKR 144

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 PKR 311

$1.11 PKR 309

0.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.01 PKR 558

$1.91 PKR 532

5.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.53

$0.20 PKR 55.8

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.91 PKR 1,921

$7.26 PKR 2,020

-4.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 PKR 201

$0.68 PKR 188

5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 PKR 147

$0.49 PKR 137

8.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 486

$1.82 PKR 505

-3.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 PKR 248

$0.96 PKR 266

-7.29%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

-1.54%

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

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

$23.2K PKR 6.5M

-0.81%

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

$140 PKR 38.8K

$70.8 PKR 19.7K

97.12%

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

$5.38 PKR 1,495

$5.59 PKR 1,554

-3.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.98 PKR 4,721

$17.52 PKR 4,872

-3.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.36 PKR 3,714

$12.60 PKR 3,502

6.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 PKR 1,606

$6.06 PKR 1,684

-4.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.19 PKR 1,165

$3.44 PKR 957

21.80%

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

$35.59 PKR 9,894

$17.67 PKR 4,912

101.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,251 PKR 347.9K

$1,234 PKR 343.2K

1.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.09 PKR 4,194

$14.35 PKR 3,989

5.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.28 PKR 6,471

$12.19 PKR 3,389

90.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 PKR 20.4K

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

-0.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.70 PKR 8,535

$28.15 PKR 7,826

9.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 PKR 32.3K

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

54.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.2 PKR 21.2K

$52.8 PKR 14.7K

44.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 PKR 80.9K

$167 PKR 46.5K

74.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 PKR 53.0K

$104 PKR 29.0K

82.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$819 PKR 227.7K

$904 PKR 251.3K

-9.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$607 PKR 168.7K

$428 PKR 119.1K

41.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$180 PKR 50.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

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

Last update for Lahore: June 14, 2026

Last update for Sahiwal: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $116 in Lahore and $75.1 in Sahiwal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Lahore vs $11.00 in Sahiwal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $93.0 vs $87.0 per month, with Sahiwal 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 Sahiwal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lahore and Sahiwal differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($480 vs $372 including rent). Sahiwal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $720 in Lahore and $558 in Sahiwal to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $116 in Lahore versus $75.1 in Sahiwal. 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 Sahiwal – 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 Sahiwal 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 Sahiwal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.