Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Peshawar and Lahore

For one person, living is cheaper in Peshawar: $437 a month against $516 in Lahore, rent and utilities included – about $950 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Peshawar
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Peshawar Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Lahore
Learn more

Lahore Living Index

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Peshawar

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$437

/mo nomad

Lahore

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$516

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Peshawar and in Lahore

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $437 in Peshawar versus $516 in Lahore.

Peshawar $437
Lahore $516

Estimated couple costs with rent: $629 in Peshawar versus $785 in Lahore.

Peshawar $629
Lahore $785

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $821 in Peshawar versus $1,054 in Lahore.

Peshawar $821
Lahore $1,054

Living in Peshawar costs roughly 15% less than in Lahore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Peshawar 68% lower, Lahore 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 PKR 663

$2.55 PKR 705

-5.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.79 PKR 2,432

$14.61 PKR 4,043

-39.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 PKR 1,460

$5.75 PKR 1,590

-8.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 607

$3.50 PKR 970

-37.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 PKR 814

$5.29 PKR 1,465

-44.42%

Cappuccino

$2.61 PKR 722

$2.66 PKR 736

-1.88%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$0.41 PKR 114

-12.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 55.2

$0.25 PKR 69.4

-20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 270

$0.97 PKR 269

1.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 PKR 212

$0.73 PKR 202

4.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 292

$1.20 PKR 332

-12.50%

Eggs

$1.06 PKR 294

$1.15 PKR 318

-7.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.51 PKR 972

$6.16 PKR 1,705

-43.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 PKR 840

$2.63 PKR 727

15.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.80 PKR 1,051

$4.98 PKR 1,378

-23.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 327

$1.18 PKR 328

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$0.64 PKR 177

-14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 161

$0.84 PKR 232

-30.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.64 PKR 177

-12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 80.3

$0.32 PKR 88.7

-9.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.4

$0.36 PKR 101

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 77.1

$0.48 PKR 132

-41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 PKR 75.1

$0.35 PKR 96.6

-22.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.02 PKR 558

$1.05 PKR 291

92.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PKR 196

$0.64 PKR 177

10.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PKR 205

$1.67 PKR 462

-55.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 PKR 492

$2.14 PKR 592

-16.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 PKR 63.8

$0.18 PKR 48.50

27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.53 PKR 3,467

$5.38 PKR 1,490

132.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 PKR 295

$0.93 PKR 257

13.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 PKR 190

$0.70 PKR 193

-1.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 PKR 405

$1.84 PKR 510

-20.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.35 PKR 374

-10.37%

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

$22.2K PKR 6.1M

$18.2K PKR 5.0M

21.73%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.6M

$25.2K PKR 7.0M

-4.68%

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

$100 PKR 27.8K

$129 PKR 35.6K

-22.04%

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

$6.11 PKR 1,691

$5.47 PKR 1,514

11.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.22 PKR 3,935

$16.58 PKR 4,590

-14.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.46 PKR 4,280

$22.55 PKR 6,240

-31.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.15 PKR 1,701

$10.92 PKR 3,022

-43.68%

Cinema Ticket

$2.01 PKR 557

$4.20 PKR 1,163

-52.14%

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

$46.31 PKR 12.8K

$48.64 PKR 13.5K

-4.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,106 PKR 1.4M

$2,013 PKR 557.0K

153.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.09 PKR 1,962

$17.94 PKR 4,964

-60.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.28 PKR 4,507

$27.60 PKR 7,638

-41.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.87 PKR 13.8K

$74.4 PKR 20.6K

-32.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.01 PKR 11.1K

$33.12 PKR 9,167

20.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 PKR 35.2K

$167 PKR 46.2K

-23.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.2 PKR 21.1K

$86.0 PKR 23.8K

-11.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 PKR 55.8K

$354 PKR 98.0K

-43.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.7K

$201 PKR 55.5K

-41.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$800 PKR 221.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$606 PKR 167.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$147 PKR 40.6K

$201 PKR 55.6K

-26.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.05

-21.71%

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

Last update for Peshawar: October 13, 2026

Last update for Lahore: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Peshawar

$121 27.6%

Lahore

$151 29.2% 25% $30

Groceries & Markets

Peshawar

$83 19.1%

Lahore

$97 18.8% 16.6% $14

Accommodation & Living

Peshawar

$76 17.4%

Lahore

$86 16.7% 13% $9.9

Eating Out

Peshawar

$69 15.7%

Lahore

$72 14% 5.3% $3.7

Clothing & Footwear

Peshawar

$51 11.7%

Lahore

$69 13.3% 35.1% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Peshawar

$19 4.5%

Lahore

$31 6% 58.8% $11

Getting Around

Peshawar

$18 4.1%

Lahore

$11 2% 41.5% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Peshawar and $167 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lahore pays 37% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $9.00 in Peshawar vs $15.00 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $83.0 vs $97.0 per month, with Peshawar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Peshawar

🇵🇰 Lahore

🕒 Local time

22:16 10:16 PM

Same time as Peshawar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,970,042

11,126,285

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Peshawar Lahore 370 km

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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

Peshawar vs Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Peshawar and Lahore differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($437 vs $516 including rent). Peshawar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Lahore. 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: $127 in Peshawar versus $167 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Lahore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Peshawar – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $15.00 in Lahore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Peshawar 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 Peshawar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.