Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetta and Lahore Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetta and Lahore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $346 in Quetta versus $491 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $537 in Quetta versus $733 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $728 in Quetta versus $974 in Lahore.

Living in Quetta costs roughly 30% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quetta 74% lower, Lahore 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 PKR 977

$2.06 PKR 573

70.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.63 PKR 2,950

$14.19 PKR 3,938

-25.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 PKR 1,216

$4.30 PKR 1,193

1.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

$2.76 PKR 765

-37.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 PKR 431

$3.65 PKR 1,012

-57.53%

Cappuccino

$1.70 PKR 471

$2.28 PKR 632

-25.44%

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

$0.42 PKR 117

$0.33 PKR 91.2

27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 55.4

$0.23 PKR 64.1

-13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 PKR 206

$0.87 PKR 242

-14.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 PKR 128

$0.56 PKR 156

-17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 285

$1.22 PKR 337

-15.57%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 310

$1.22 PKR 339

-8.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.92 PKR 1,644

$6.05 PKR 1,679

-2.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 PKR 716

$2.97 PKR 824

-13.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.12 PKR 1,143

$4.58 PKR 1,271

-10.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$1.07 PKR 296

-2.80%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$0.60 PKR 168

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.61 PKR 170

-6.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$0.47 PKR 131

2.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 87.2

$0.32 PKR 90.0

-3.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 132

$0.49 PKR 135

-2.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 PKR 98.5

$0.45 PKR 124

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 PKR 90.1

$0.36 PKR 99.1

-11.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.45 PKR 402

$1.10 PKR 306

31.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 93.1

$0.55 PKR 152

-38.18%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 PKR 581

$1.06 PKR 295

97.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.69 PKR 192

$1.99 PKR 553

-65.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.93

$0.18 PKR 49.62

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.23 PKR 1,453

$7.25 PKR 2,011

-27.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.73 PKR 201

-50.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 PKR 171

$0.49 PKR 137

26.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 PKR 481

$1.80 PKR 499

-3.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 268

$0.90 PKR 250

7.78%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

20.55%

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

$12.1K PKR 3.4M

$23.2K PKR 6.4M

-47.68%

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

$52.6 PKR 14.6K

$141 PKR 39.2K

-62.75%

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

$6.41 PKR 1,778

$5.33 PKR 1,480

20.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.32 PKR 3,975

$17.36 PKR 4,819

-17.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$4.96 PKR 1,378

$13.27 PKR 3,683

-62.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 PKR 1,600

$5.82 PKR 1,615

-1.03%

Cinema Ticket

$2.90 PKR 805

$4.28 PKR 1,187

-32.24%

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

$34.09 PKR 9,461

$35.23 PKR 9,779

-3.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$417 PKR 115.7K

$1,230 PKR 341.4K

-66.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$6.98 PKR 1,937

$15.42 PKR 4,278

-54.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.24 PKR 2,010

$23.35 PKR 6,481

-68.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 PKR 24.2K

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

18.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.59 PKR 8,213

$30.02 PKR 8,330

-1.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$69.8 PKR 19.4K

$121 PKR 33.5K

-42.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.30 PKR 13.7K

$76.4 PKR 21.2K

-35.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 PKR 44.1K

$291 PKR 80.9K

-45.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.5 PKR 26.8K

$187 PKR 52.0K

-48.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$376 PKR 104.2K

$846 PKR 234.7K

-55.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$214 PKR 59.3K

$598 PKR 166.0K

-64.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$271 PKR 75.3K

$184 PKR 51.1K

47.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

-39.64%

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

Last update for Quetta: July 28, 2026

Last update for Lahore: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $69.8 in Quetta and $121 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quetta pays 47% 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 Quetta vs $14.00 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $84.0 vs $93.0 per month, with Quetta 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

Quetta vs Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quetta and Lahore differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($346 vs $491 including rent). Quetta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 47% higher in Quetta, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $69.8 in Quetta versus $121 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Dining out is cheaper in Quetta – 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 $1,000 a month, though Quetta 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 Quetta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.