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: $352 in Quetta versus $490 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $550 in Quetta versus $746 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $748 in Quetta versus $1,001 in Lahore.

Living in Quetta costs roughly 28% less than in Lahore, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quetta 74% lower, Lahore 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 PKR 960

$2.13 PKR 593

61.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.69 PKR 2,972

$13.90 PKR 3,864

-23.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.40 PKR 1,223

$4.31 PKR 1,197

2.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

$2.81 PKR 781

-35.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 PKR 435

$3.62 PKR 1,005

-56.63%

Cappuccino

$1.62 PKR 449

$2.29 PKR 638

-29.26%

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

$0.42 PKR 118

$0.35 PKR 98.0

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.2

$0.23 PKR 64.2

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 PKR 207

$0.94 PKR 261

-21.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 PKR 129

$0.57 PKR 159

-19.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 298

$1.22 PKR 339

-12.30%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 299

$1.21 PKR 336

-10.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.94 PKR 1,652

$5.96 PKR 1,656

-0.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.49 PKR 691

$3.05 PKR 849

-18.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.24 PKR 1,178

$4.58 PKR 1,274

-7.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 298

$1.06 PKR 294

0.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$0.63 PKR 176

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 158

$0.61 PKR 170

-6.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 145

$0.48 PKR 134

8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 80.6

$0.33 PKR 91.4

-12.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 139

$0.49 PKR 136

2.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$0.47 PKR 132

-25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 PKR 83.3

$0.36 PKR 99.6

-16.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.42 PKR 395

$0.92 PKR 255

54.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 101

$0.55 PKR 152

-34.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 PKR 598

$1.12 PKR 311

91.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.72 PKR 201

$1.97 PKR 549

-63.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.40

$0.20 PKR 55.6

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.36 PKR 1,491

$7.03 PKR 1,956

-23.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 PKR 92.5

$0.70 PKR 194

-52.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 PKR 180

$0.52 PKR 145

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 PKR 479

$1.81 PKR 503

-4.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$0.89 PKR 249

7.87%

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

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

21.33%

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

$12.3K PKR 3.4M

$23.7K PKR 6.6M

-48.27%

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

$52.6 PKR 14.6K

$136 PKR 37.9K

-61.47%

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

$6.38 PKR 1,774

$5.57 PKR 1,548

14.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.98 PKR 3,887

$17.55 PKR 4,879

-20.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.09 PKR 1,415

$13.25 PKR 3,683

-61.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.81 PKR 1,614

$6.05 PKR 1,682

-3.97%

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 PKR 804

$4.18 PKR 1,162

-30.86%

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

$35.09 PKR 9,756

$34.74 PKR 9,660

1.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$424 PKR 117.8K

$1,222 PKR 339.8K

-65.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.22 PKR 2,006

$15.27 PKR 4,245

-52.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.98 PKR 1,941

$23.23 PKR 6,458

-69.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

$73.2 PKR 20.3K

22.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.19 PKR 8,116

$30.05 PKR 8,355

-2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$69.9 PKR 19.4K

$120 PKR 33.3K

-41.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$50.4 PKR 14.0K

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

-33.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 PKR 43.7K

$288 PKR 80.2K

-45.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.5 PKR 26.6K

$190 PKR 52.9K

-49.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$381 PKR 106.0K

$842 PKR 234.1K

-54.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$220 PKR 61.3K

$604 PKR 168.1K

-63.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 PKR 59.3K

$182 PKR 50.7K

16.91%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lahore: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $69.9 in Quetta and $120 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quetta pays 17% 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 $94.0 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 39% in total monthly costs ($352 vs $490 including rent). Quetta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Quetta pays 17% more on average, 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: $69.9 in Quetta versus $120 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% 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 39% less than in Lahore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.