Cost of Living Comparison Between Lucknow and Lahore Cost of Living Comparison Between Lucknow and Lahore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $400 in Lucknow versus $492 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $641 in Lucknow versus $746 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $881 in Lucknow versus $1,001 in Lahore.

Living in Lucknow costs roughly 19% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lucknow 70% lower, Lahore 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 ₹228

$2.09 PKR 582

14.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.44 ₹1,095

$14.24 PKR 3,961

-19.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.54 ₹339

$4.27 PKR 1,189

-17.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 PKR 774

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 PKR 1,007

Cappuccino

$1.50 ₹143

$2.34 PKR 651

-35.90%

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

$0.34 ₹32.07

$0.36 PKR 99.3

-5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.37

$0.23 PKR 64.0

-43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₹171

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 ₹244

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 ₹74.7

$0.89 PKR 247

-12.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₹46.76

$0.57 PKR 157

-14.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 ₹68.0

$1.17 PKR 324

-39.32%

Eggs

$1.04 ₹99.1

$1.20 PKR 335

-13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.68 ₹352

$6.11 PKR 1,700

-39.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ₹264

$3.05 PKR 849

-9.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.44 PKR 1,234

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 ₹167

$1.02 PKR 283

71.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 ₹63.2

$0.60 PKR 166

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 ₹84.3

$0.60 PKR 168

46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 ₹54.0

$0.48 PKR 133

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.95

$0.32 PKR 90.2

9.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ₹47.06

$0.48 PKR 133

2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 ₹35.82

$0.44 PKR 123

-15.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹34.78

$0.38 PKR 106

-5.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 PKR 258

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 152

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 309

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 ₹362

$1.99 PKR 555

89.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 ₹743

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₹157

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₹273

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.51 ₹527

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ₹46.67

$0.19 PKR 52.7

157.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.42 ₹997

$6.98 PKR 1,941

49.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 ₹110

$0.70 PKR 194

64.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ₹36.73

$0.49 PKR 138

-22.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 ₹133

$1.78 PKR 496

-21.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₹112

$0.91 PKR 253

28.57%

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

$15.6K ₹1.5M

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

-9.98%

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

$23.6K ₹2.3M

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

-0.85%

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

$44.86 ₹4,293

$138 PKR 38.3K

-67.42%

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

$3.65 ₹349

$5.59 PKR 1,554

-34.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.52 ₹719

$17.01 PKR 4,733

-55.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.11 ₹2,116

$13.75 PKR 3,824

60.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.33 ₹893

$5.73 PKR 1,595

62.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.55 ₹339

$4.34 PKR 1,206

-18.20%

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

$57.1 ₹5,461

$35.47 PKR 9,868

60.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,631 ₹156.1K

$1,238 PKR 344.3K

31.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.33 ₹2,519

$14.98 PKR 4,168

75.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.82 ₹2,375

$22.69 PKR 6,311

9.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.55 ₹3,976

$72.6 PKR 20.2K

-42.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.31 ₹2,422

$29.85 PKR 8,304

-15.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 ₹14.1K

$118 PKR 32.9K

24.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.9 ₹8,219

$76.7 PKR 21.3K

12.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₹33.1K

$286 PKR 79.6K

20.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₹20.1K

$188 PKR 52.2K

11.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,183 ₹113.2K

$843 PKR 234.4K

40.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$535 ₹51.2K

$615 PKR 171.2K

-13.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$369 ₹35.3K

$184 PKR 51.3K

100.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.72

19.88

-56.14%

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

Last update for Lucknow: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lahore: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $147 in Lucknow and $118 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lucknow pays 100% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $11.00 in Lucknow vs $14.00 in Lahore. Groceries flip the comparison at $101 vs $93.0, with Lahore cheaper for home cooking.

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

Lucknow vs Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lucknow and Lahore differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($400 vs $492 including rent). Lucknow is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lucknow pays 100% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $147 in Lucknow versus $118 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lahore pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Lucknow – 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 Lucknow 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 Lucknow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.