Cost of Living Comparison Between Peshawar and Lahore Cost of Living Comparison Between Peshawar and Lahore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $372 in Peshawar versus $484 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $554 in Peshawar versus $727 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $736 in Peshawar versus $970 in Lahore.

Living in Peshawar costs roughly 23% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Peshawar 72% lower, Lahore 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 PKR 651

$2.09 PKR 580

11.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.75 PKR 2,985

$14.06 PKR 3,903

-23.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.60 PKR 1,000

$4.35 PKR 1,207

-17.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 PKR 398

$2.75 PKR 765

-48.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 PKR 725

$3.66 PKR 1,018

-28.69%

Cappuccino

$1.82 PKR 506

$2.39 PKR 663

-23.85%

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

$0.28 PKR 76.8

$0.36 PKR 98.7

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 PKR 49.00

$0.21 PKR 58.3

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 PKR 225

$0.94 PKR 260

-13.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 312

$1.21 PKR 337

-7.44%

Eggs

$1.19 PKR 330

$1.21 PKR 337

-1.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.38 PKR 939

$6.18 PKR 1,717

-45.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 PKR 872

$3.02 PKR 839

3.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.78 PKR 1,051

$4.55 PKR 1,263

-16.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 288

$1.06 PKR 293

-1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 169

$0.63 PKR 175

-3.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 255

$0.61 PKR 169

50.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 PKR 119

$0.47 PKR 131

-8.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.36 PKR 98.8

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 125

$0.48 PKR 132

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.47 PKR 131

-48.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 PKR 88.8

$0.35 PKR 98.3

-8.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.68 PKR 190

$1.11 PKR 308

-38.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 PKR 452

$0.51 PKR 143

219.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 PKR 999

$1.10 PKR 306

227.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 PKR 522

$1.97 PKR 546

-4.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.1

$0.18 PKR 51.2

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.91 PKR 1,918

$6.92 PKR 1,922

-0.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 PKR 190

$0.73 PKR 202

-5.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 PKR 204

$0.49 PKR 137

48.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 504

$1.80 PKR 501

0.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 PKR 278

$0.96 PKR 266

4.17%

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

$11.9K PKR 3.3M

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

-31.68%

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

$22.6K PKR 6.3M

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

-3.73%

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

$98.5 PKR 27.3K

$141 PKR 39.2K

-30.27%

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

$4.32 PKR 1,201

$5.31 PKR 1,473

-18.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.62 PKR 2,949

$17.33 PKR 4,811

-38.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.96 PKR 2,766

$13.73 PKR 3,813

-27.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 PKR 1,850

$5.94 PKR 1,649

12.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.19 PKR 1,164

$4.29 PKR 1,191

-2.33%

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

$29.39 PKR 8,162

$34.60 PKR 9,608

-15.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$518 PKR 143.7K

$1,253 PKR 347.9K

-58.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.06 PKR 3,628

$15.40 PKR 4,276

-15.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 PKR 5,447

$23.27 PKR 6,462

-15.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.69 PKR 10.7K

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

-46.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.49 PKR 9,022

$30.56 PKR 8,486

6.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 PKR 33.2K

$120 PKR 33.3K

-0.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

-32.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 PKR 56.1K

$291 PKR 80.9K

-30.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.0 PKR 26.4K

$188 PKR 52.2K

-49.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$844 PKR 234.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 PKR 163.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$128 PKR 35.5K

$185 PKR 51.5K

-31.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.17

19.88

6.49%

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

Last update for Peshawar: July 14, 2026

Last update for Lahore: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $120 in Peshawar and $120 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lahore pays 45% 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: $11.00 in Peshawar vs $14.00 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $82.0 vs $94.0 per month, with Peshawar 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

Peshawar vs Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Peshawar and Lahore differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($372 vs $484 including rent). Peshawar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 45% 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: $120 in Peshawar versus $120 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $11.00 versus $14.00 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 30% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.