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: $491 in Lahore versus $370 in Sahiwal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $733 in Lahore versus $565 in Sahiwal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $974 in Lahore versus $761 in Sahiwal.

Living in Lahore is roughly 33% more expensive than in Sahiwal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 573

$1.73 PKR 481

19.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.19 PKR 3,938

$10.78 PKR 2,991

31.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 PKR 1,193

$4.20 PKR 1,164

2.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 PKR 765

$2.41 PKR 669

14.52%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 PKR 1,012

$3.69 PKR 1,024

-1.08%

Cappuccino

$2.28 PKR 632

$1.73 PKR 481

31.79%

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

$0.33 PKR 91.2

$0.35 PKR 97.7

-5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.1

$0.19 PKR 52.2

21.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 PKR 242

$0.61 PKR 168

42.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$0.43 PKR 120

30.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 337

$1.13 PKR 315

7.96%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 339

$1.15 PKR 320

6.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,679

$5.89 PKR 1,635

2.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 PKR 824

$2.90 PKR 806

2.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.58 PKR 1,271

$4.63 PKR 1,286

-1.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 296

$1.02 PKR 282

4.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 168

$0.61 PKR 169

-1.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.36 PKR 100

69.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.46 PKR 128

2.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.33 PKR 90.9

-3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$0.51 PKR 142

-3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PKR 124

$0.47 PKR 131

-4.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 99.1

$0.34 PKR 94.0

5.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.10 PKR 306

$1.11 PKR 308

-0.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 152

$0.54 PKR 150

1.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 PKR 295

$1.12 PKR 311

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 PKR 553

$1.90 PKR 526

4.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.62

$0.19 PKR 53.9

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 PKR 2,011

$7.00 PKR 1,943

3.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 201

$0.74 PKR 207

-1.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 137

$0.52 PKR 144

-5.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 PKR 499

$1.81 PKR 502

-0.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 250

$0.94 PKR 262

-4.26%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

1.15%

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

$23.2K PKR 6.4M

0.01%

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

$141 PKR 39.2K

$71.4 PKR 19.8K

97.76%

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

$5.33 PKR 1,480

$5.34 PKR 1,482

-0.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 PKR 4,819

$17.57 PKR 4,876

-1.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.27 PKR 3,683

$12.55 PKR 3,483

5.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 PKR 1,615

$5.91 PKR 1,639

-1.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,187

$3.62 PKR 1,005

18.23%

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

$35.23 PKR 9,779

$17.38 PKR 4,824

102.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,230 PKR 341.4K

$1,216 PKR 337.4K

1.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.42 PKR 4,278

$14.30 PKR 3,968

7.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.35 PKR 6,481

$12.31 PKR 3,417

89.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

$72.7 PKR 20.2K

1.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.02 PKR 8,330

$28.09 PKR 7,795

6.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$121 PKR 33.5K

$74.3 PKR 20.6K

62.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 PKR 21.2K

$50.9 PKR 14.1K

50.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 PKR 80.9K

$167 PKR 46.2K

74.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 PKR 52.0K

$108 PKR 30.0K

73.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$846 PKR 234.7K

$874 PKR 242.6K

-3.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$598 PKR 166.0K

$531 PKR 147.3K

12.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 PKR 51.1K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Sahiwal: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $121 in Lahore and $74.3 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 $86.0 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 33% in total monthly costs ($491 vs $370 including rent). Sahiwal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $737 in Lahore and $555 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: $121 in Lahore versus $74.3 in Sahiwal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% 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 33% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.