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: $402 in Multan versus $314 in Varanasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $602 in Multan versus $517 in Varanasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $802 in Multan versus $720 in Varanasi.

Living in Multan is roughly 28% more expensive than in Varanasi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Multan 70% lower, Varanasi 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 591

$2.31 ₹220

-7.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.64 PKR 2,397

$8.96 ₹855

-3.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 PKR 1,467

$3.51 ₹335

50.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 PKR 857

Cappuccino

$1.38 PKR 384

$1.50 ₹143

-8.00%

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

$0.30 PKR 83.7

$0.31 ₹29.43

-3.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 57.5

$0.13 ₹12.42

61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₹171

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₹221

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 PKR 164

$0.65 ₹61.7

-9.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.37 ₹35.28

62.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 PKR 300

$0.52 ₹50.1

107.69%

Eggs

$1.03 PKR 287

$0.95 ₹90.4

8.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.91 PKR 1,363

$3.60 ₹343

36.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 PKR 717

$2.54 ₹242

1.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.15 PKR 876

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 PKR 273

$1.52 ₹145

-35.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 PKR 198

$0.66 ₹63.0

7.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$0.88 ₹83.5

-35.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 143

$0.39 ₹36.74

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 105

$0.29 ₹27.87

31.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.27 ₹25.84

59.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 PKR 166

$0.35 ₹33.16

71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 107

$0.29 ₹27.40

34.48%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.89 PKR 526

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 PKR 450

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 PKR 515

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 PKR 533

$2.90 ₹277

-33.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.84 ₹557

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₹157

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ₹250

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

$4.67 ₹445

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 47.23

$0.59 ₹56.5

-71.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.16 PKR 1,986

$10.66 ₹1,016

-32.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 PKR 291

$0.20 ₹19.05

425.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 PKR 84.4

$0.11 ₹10.67

172.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 PKR 398

$1.17 ₹112

23.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 275

$1.16 ₹110

-14.66%

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

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

$14.1K ₹1.3M

58.64%

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

$22.0K PKR 6.1M

$21.3K ₹2.0M

3.50%

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

$105 PKR 29.1K

$13.81 ₹1,317

659.38%

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

$4.73 PKR 1,312

$3.54 ₹338

33.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.99 PKR 3,884

$5.59 ₹533

150.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.76 PKR 4,929

$12.28 ₹1,171

44.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.13 PKR 3,367

$5.85 ₹558

107.35%

Cinema Ticket

$2.71 PKR 753

$2.97 ₹283

-8.75%

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

$36.21 PKR 10.1K

$57.5 ₹5,484

-37.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,792 PKR 497.4K

$926 ₹88.3K

93.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.31 PKR 4,527

$22.97 ₹2,191

-28.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.54 PKR 7,644

$24.51 ₹2,338

12.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 PKR 19.0K

$41.19 ₹3,928

66.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.70 PKR 7,964

$24.96 ₹2,380

14.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$87.0 PKR 24.2K

$127 ₹12.1K

-31.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.2 PKR 16.1K

$52.5 ₹5,007

10.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 PKR 49.3K

$252 ₹24.0K

-29.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 PKR 34.7K

$158 ₹15.0K

-20.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$558 ₹53.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$331 ₹31.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 PKR 51.1K

$572 ₹54.6K

-67.79%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $87.0 in Multan and $127 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varanasi pays 210% 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 $81.0 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 210% lower in Varanasi. 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: $87.0 in Multan versus $127 in Varanasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.21 in Multan versus $57.5 in Varanasi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Multan pay roughly 9% 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 28% less than in Multan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.