Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Multan and Howrah

For one person, living is cheaper in Howrah: $383 a month against $526 in Multan, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Multan
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$526
/mo nomad
Howrah
🇮🇳 India
$383
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Multan and in Howrah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Multan and in Howrah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $526 in Multan versus $383 in Howrah.

  • Multan $526
  • Howrah $383

Estimated couple costs with rent: $743 in Multan versus $506 in Howrah.

  • Multan $743
  • Howrah $506

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $961 in Multan versus $629 in Howrah.

  • Multan $961
  • Howrah $629

Living in Multan is roughly 37% more expensive than in Howrah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Multan 61% lower, Howrah 72% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Multan
Howrah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.61 PKR 721
$2.07 ₹196
26.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.80 PKR 2,990
$9.70 ₹921
11.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.37 PKR 1,485
$4.28 ₹406
25.47%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.74 PKR 759
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.39 PKR 1,491
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.77 PKR 489
$1.36 ₹129
30.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 PKR 76.8
$0.46 ₹43.44
-39.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.18 PKR 48.83
$0.11 ₹10.24
63.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.60 ₹152
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.98 ₹283
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Multan
Howrah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.67 PKR 187
$0.61 ₹57.7
9.84%
White Bread (500g)
$0.55 PKR 153
$0.44 ₹41.44
25.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.07 PKR 295
$0.66 ₹62.6
62.12%
Eggs
$1.08 PKR 299
$1.09 ₹103
-0.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.79 PKR 1,879
$5.51 ₹523
23.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.40 PKR 664
$2.67 ₹254
-10.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.67 PKR 1,292
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$0.98 PKR 271
$2.07 ₹196
-52.66%
Banana (1kg)
$0.46 PKR 127
$0.76 ₹72.5
-39.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.72 PKR 199
$1.44 ₹137
-50.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.56 PKR 156
$0.61 ₹57.5
-8.20%
Potato (1kg)
$0.36 PKR 101
$0.33 ₹31.54
9.09%
Onion (1kg)
$0.46 PKR 126
$0.43 ₹40.37
6.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.46 PKR 127
$0.35 ₹32.81
31.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.37 PKR 103
$0.26 ₹24.69
42.31%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.88 PKR 521
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 PKR 776
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.21 PKR 610
$5.10 ₹485
-56.67%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.41 ₹988
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.37 ₹131
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.68 ₹254
-
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$8.50 ₹807
-
🚌 Getting Around
Multan
Howrah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 PKR 50.5
$0.18 ₹17.21
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.10 PKR 1,966
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.43 PKR 395
$0.87 ₹82.6
64.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.35 PKR 96.4
$0.33 ₹31.49
6.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.94 PKR 260
$1.55 ₹147
-39.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 PKR 321
$1.09 ₹103
6.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.8K PKR 6.9M
$13.0K ₹1.2M
91.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K PKR 6.4M
$19.6K ₹1.9M
18.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Multan
Howrah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$147 PKR 40.8K
$44.11 ₹4,189
234.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.83 PKR 1,336
$3.56 ₹338
35.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87 PKR 5,223
$6.49 ₹617
190.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Multan
Howrah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.42 PKR 6,758
$14.04 ₹1,333
73.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.59 PKR 994
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.46 PKR 1,235
$3.11 ₹296
43.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Multan
Howrah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$42.06 PKR 11.6K
$27.02 ₹2,566
55.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,030 PKR 284.9K
$1,267 ₹120.3K
-18.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Multan
Howrah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.24 PKR 5,047
$27.47 ₹2,608
-33.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.08 PKR 5,280
$26.28 ₹2,496
-27.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.1 PKR 25.8K
$36.38 ₹3,455
156.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$25.37 PKR 7,023
$28.59 ₹2,715
-11.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Multan
Howrah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$145 PKR 40.3K
$117 ₹11.1K
23.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$92.1 PKR 25.5K
$79.9 ₹7,590
15.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$213 PKR 59.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$149 PKR 41.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Multan
Howrah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$181 PKR 50.1K
$353 ₹33.5K
-48.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13
9.08
43.17%

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

Last update for Multan: October 18, 2026

Last update for Howrah: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Multan
$171
Howrah
$54 68.3% $117
Accommodation & Living
Multan
$92
Howrah
$80 13.2% $12
Groceries & Markets
Multan
$89
Howrah
$110 24.2% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Multan
$70
Howrah
$53 23.8% $17
Eating Out
Multan
$60
Howrah
$62 3.3% $2
Sport & Entertainment
Multan
$33
Howrah
$20 39.2% $13
Getting Around
Multan
$11
Howrah
$3.3 * 70.5% $7.8

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $145 in Multan and $117 in Howrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Howrah pays 95% 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 Multan vs $10.00 in Howrah. Groceries flip the comparison at $89.0 vs $110, with Multan cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Multan
🇮🇳 Howrah
🕒 Local time
14:59 2:59 PM
15:29 3:29 PM
30 min ahead of Multan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,871,843
1,072,161
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Multan Howrah 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Multan
  • Howrah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Multan vs Howrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Multan or Howrah?
Howrah wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Multan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Howrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Multan or in Howrah?
On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Howrah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Multan compared to Howrah?
Rent for a central apartment: $145 in Multan versus $117 in Howrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Multan and in Howrah?
Childcare runs $42.06 in Multan versus $27.02 in Howrah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Multan and in Howrah?
Dining out is cheaper in Howrah – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $11.00 in Multan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Multan or in Howrah?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Howrah gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Multan or Howrah?
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.
How safe is Multan compared to Howrah?
Safety-wise, Multan and Howrah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Howrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Multan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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