Cost of Living Comparison Between Multan and Varanasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Multan and Varanasi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $410 in Multan versus $307 in Varanasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $619 in Multan versus $511 in Varanasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $827 in Multan versus $714 in Varanasi.

Living in Multan is roughly 34% more expensive than Varanasi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Multan 69% lower, Varanasi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 PKR 605

$2.38 ₹225

-8.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.68 PKR 2,413

$8.60 ₹813

0.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.20 PKR 1,445

$3.39 ₹321

53.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 PKR 483

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 PKR 859

Cappuccino

$1.43 PKR 397

$1.53 ₹145

-6.54%

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

$0.28 PKR 76.9

$0.31 ₹29.28

-9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.4

$0.12 ₹11.34

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 ₹162

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₹214

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.65 ₹61.4

-10.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 PKR 169

$0.36 ₹34.35

69.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 300

$0.52 ₹49.04

107.69%

Eggs

$1.09 PKR 302

$0.89 ₹84.2

22.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.72 PKR 1,312

$3.60 ₹340

31.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.59 PKR 721

$2.57 ₹243

0.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.04 PKR 845

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 PKR 273

$1.53 ₹145

-35.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 185

$0.65 ₹61.2

3.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 162

$0.92 ₹87.3

-36.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.36 ₹34.02

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.29 ₹27.69

37.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.25 ₹23.55

60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 PKR 165

$0.35 ₹33.11

68.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 99.5

$0.29 ₹26.98

24.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 PKR 513

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 PKR 446

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 PKR 517

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 PKR 533

$2.83 ₹267

-32.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 ₹536

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₹164

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₹245

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

$4.65 ₹440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 47.74

$0.61 ₹57.3

-72.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 PKR 1,993

$10.37 ₹981

-30.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 PKR 287

$0.22 ₹20.83

368.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 PKR 92.8

$0.12 ₹10.97

175.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 PKR 397

$1.18 ₹111

21.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.21 ₹115

-15.70%

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

$22.1K PKR 6.1M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

58.67%

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

$22.0K PKR 6.1M

$21.2K ₹2.0M

3.50%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$13.93 ₹1,318

629.43%

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

$4.75 PKR 1,322

$3.64 ₹344

30.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.85 PKR 3,851

$5.37 ₹508

157.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.27 PKR 5,078

$12.36 ₹1,170

47.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 PKR 3,464

$5.85 ₹554

112.99%

Cinema Ticket

$2.67 PKR 741

$3.00 ₹284

-11.00%

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

$36.61 PKR 10.2K

$58.1 ₹5,500

-37.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,786 PKR 496.4K

$927 ₹87.7K

92.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.25 PKR 4,518

$23.35 ₹2,209

-30.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.19 PKR 7,839

$24.60 ₹2,327

14.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 PKR 19.4K

$41.36 ₹3,913

68.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.11 PKR 8,092

$25.04 ₹2,368

16.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$84.9 PKR 23.6K

$126 ₹11.9K

-32.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$56.8 PKR 15.8K

$52.7 ₹4,990

7.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$251 ₹23.7K

-31.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 PKR 35.0K

$157 ₹14.8K

-19.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$579 ₹54.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$347 ₹32.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$180 PKR 49.9K

$590 ₹55.8K

-69.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.43

8.72

99.89%

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

Last update for Multan: June 14, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $84.9 in Multan and $126 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varanasi pays 228% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Multan vs $9.00 in Varanasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $79.0 vs $88.0 per month, with Multan 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

Multan vs Varanasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varanasi is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Varanasi earns 228% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $84.9 in Multan versus $126 in Varanasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.61 in Multan versus $58.1 in Varanasi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Multan pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Varanasi 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 Varanasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Multan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.