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: $525 in Multan versus $289 in Varanasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $750 in Multan versus $472 in Varanasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $976 in Multan versus $656 in Varanasi.

Living in Multan is roughly 82% more expensive than in Varanasi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Multan 62% lower, Varanasi 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.51 PKR 695

$1.81 ₹174

38.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.95 PKR 3,033

$7.95 ₹763

37.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 PKR 1,527

$3.03 ₹291

81.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 PKR 729

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 PKR 1,452

Cappuccino

$1.77 PKR 490

$1.59 ₹153

11.32%

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

$0.28 PKR 77.3

$0.34 ₹32.94

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 54.7

$0.09 ₹8.63

122.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 ₹147

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₹199

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 PKR 184

$0.60 ₹57.6

11.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 150

$0.28 ₹26.44

92.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$0.53 ₹50.5

92.45%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 318

$0.86 ₹82.0

33.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.13 PKR 1,976

$3.02 ₹289

136.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.39 PKR 661

$2.23 ₹214

7.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 PKR 1,178

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 254

$1.36 ₹131

-32.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.62 ₹59.4

-16.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 PKR 195

$0.86 ₹82.1

-17.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 162

$0.35 ₹33.23

68.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$0.23 ₹22.00

60.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.25 ₹24.06

72.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 PKR 129

$0.42 ₹39.91

11.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 104

$0.28 ₹27.04

32.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 PKR 501

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 PKR 777

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.12 PKR 589

$3.19 ₹306

-33.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.81 ₹557

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₹157

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₹224

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

$3.96 ₹380

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 48.55

$0.51 ₹48.68

-64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.32 PKR 2,026

$9.42 ₹904

-22.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 PKR 409

$0.18 ₹17.64

722.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 96.9

$0.11 ₹10.70

218.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 PKR 244

$1.06 ₹102

-16.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 PKR 304

$1.08 ₹104

1.85%

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

$25.5K PKR 7.1M

$12.4K ₹1.2M

104.71%

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

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

$18.6K ₹1.8M

42.97%

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

$147 PKR 40.7K

$12.38 ₹1,187

1088.05%

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

$4.83 PKR 1,338

$3.55 ₹340

36.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.85 PKR 5,222

$6.79 ₹651

177.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.83 PKR 6,601

$11.05 ₹1,060

115.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.56 PKR 985

$5.08 ₹488

-29.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.44 PKR 1,229

$2.84 ₹273

56.34%

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

$42.39 PKR 11.7K

$38.48 ₹3,691

10.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,029 PKR 285.1K

$981 ₹94.1K

4.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.02 PKR 4,990

$20.95 ₹2,010

-13.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.90 PKR 5,236

$24.64 ₹2,363

-23.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 PKR 25.9K

$36.38 ₹3,490

157.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.90 PKR 7,173

$25.89 ₹2,484

0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$145 PKR 40.2K

$111 ₹10.6K

31.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.5 PKR 25.1K

$47.87 ₹4,592

89.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 PKR 59.6K

$195 ₹18.7K

10.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 PKR 41.3K

$140 ₹13.5K

6.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$568 ₹54.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$339 ₹32.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.2K

$581 ₹55.7K

-68.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.53

52.40%

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

Last update for Multan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $145 in Multan and $111 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varanasi pays 214% 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 $8.00 in Varanasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $89.0 vs $81.0 per month, with Varanasi 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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 214% 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: $145 in Multan versus $111 in Varanasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $42.39 in Multan versus $38.48 in Varanasi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Multan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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 82% less than in Multan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.