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: $497 in Lahore versus $374 in Sahiwal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $750 in Lahore versus $564 in Sahiwal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,003 in Lahore versus $753 in Sahiwal.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 PKR 587

$1.74 PKR 484

20.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.95 PKR 3,888

$10.63 PKR 2,962

31.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 PKR 1,198

$4.15 PKR 1,158

3.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 PKR 795

$2.55 PKR 710

11.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 PKR 1,049

$3.64 PKR 1,016

3.30%

Cappuccino

$2.37 PKR 660

$1.75 PKR 487

35.43%

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

$0.33 PKR 91.7

$0.33 PKR 91.2

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.4

$0.17 PKR 46.89

23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$0.64 PKR 179

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.44 PKR 123

29.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 335

$1.17 PKR 327

2.56%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 322

$1.17 PKR 326

-0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.87 PKR 1,638

$5.89 PKR 1,643

-0.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 PKR 848

$2.92 PKR 814

4.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.61 PKR 1,284

$4.43 PKR 1,235

4.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 296

$1.05 PKR 293

0.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 PKR 181

$0.60 PKR 169

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.33 PKR 93.2

75.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 125

$0.46 PKR 128

-2.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.0

$0.36 PKR 99.2

-8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$0.48 PKR 133

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 PKR 123

$0.45 PKR 124

-2.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 98.5

$0.37 PKR 102

-5.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.71 PKR 197

$0.70 PKR 196

1.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.51 PKR 141

9.80%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 PKR 300

$1.06 PKR 297

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 550

$1.99 PKR 554

-1.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.16

$0.16 PKR 43.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.94 PKR 1,936

$6.97 PKR 1,944

-0.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 PKR 201

$0.73 PKR 203

-1.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 138

$0.50 PKR 139

-2.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 PKR 499

$1.80 PKR 502

-0.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 252

$0.89 PKR 249

1.12%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

-2.55%

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

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

-0.32%

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

$138 PKR 38.5K

$70.0 PKR 19.5K

97.43%

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

$5.46 PKR 1,521

$5.48 PKR 1,528

-0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 PKR 4,832

$17.48 PKR 4,872

-0.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.41 PKR 3,737

$12.16 PKR 3,389

10.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 PKR 1,618

$5.85 PKR 1,631

-0.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 PKR 1,179

$3.58 PKR 998

18.16%

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

$35.14 PKR 9,796

$17.83 PKR 4,970

97.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,221 PKR 340.3K

$1,243 PKR 346.6K

-1.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.11 PKR 4,212

$14.12 PKR 3,936

7.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.95 PKR 6,397

$12.28 PKR 3,424

86.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 PKR 20.5K

$74.0 PKR 20.6K

-0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.90 PKR 8,334

$28.15 PKR 7,848

6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

59.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 PKR 21.4K

$51.5 PKR 14.3K

48.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 PKR 79.2K

$168 PKR 46.8K

69.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.5K

$106 PKR 29.4K

78.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$812 PKR 226.3K

$743 PKR 207.1K

9.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$607 PKR 169.1K

$560 PKR 156.2K

8.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 PKR 49.9K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sahiwal: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Lahore and $73.9 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 ($497 vs $374 including rent). Sahiwal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $745 in Lahore and $561 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: $118 in Lahore versus $73.9 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.