Cost of Living Comparison Between Varanasi and Multan Cost of Living Comparison Between Varanasi and Multan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $304 in Varanasi versus $407 in Multan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $512 in Varanasi versus $605 in Multan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $720 in Varanasi versus $803 in Multan.

Living in Varanasi costs roughly 25% less than in Multan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Varanasi 77% lower, Multan 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.28 ₹216

$2.16 PKR 604

5.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.82 ₹834

$8.90 PKR 2,483

-0.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.58 ₹339

$5.45 PKR 1,520

-34.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 498

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 PKR 896

Cappuccino

$1.55 ₹147

$1.42 PKR 396

9.15%

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

$0.33 ₹31.24

$0.30 PKR 84.1

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 ₹10.54

$0.17 PKR 46.43

-35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ₹162

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₹215

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 ₹60.4

$0.63 PKR 175

1.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 ₹34.56

$0.56 PKR 156

-33.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.53 ₹50.1

$1.04 PKR 290

-49.04%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹89.6

$1.03 PKR 287

-7.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.61 ₹342

$4.95 PKR 1,380

-27.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 ₹243

$2.48 PKR 692

3.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.18 PKR 888

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₹142

$0.99 PKR 276

51.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 ₹62.0

$0.72 PKR 201

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 ₹82.0

$0.54 PKR 151

61.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹36.00

$0.52 PKR 144

-26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 ₹25.52

$0.38 PKR 105

-28.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.27 ₹25.64

$0.39 PKR 109

-30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ₹33.08

$0.56 PKR 157

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.44

$0.36 PKR 99.1

-13.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.39 PKR 389

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 PKR 436

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 PKR 519

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₹276

$1.97 PKR 549

48.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 ₹535

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₹163

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ₹248

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

$4.67 ₹441

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ₹53.4

$0.17 PKR 46.30

229.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.57 ₹1,000

$6.97 PKR 1,945

51.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.20 ₹18.90

$1.08 PKR 301

-81.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₹11.01

$0.33 PKR 92.9

-63.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.38 PKR 384

-13.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₹110

$1.00 PKR 279

16.00%

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

$14.0K ₹1.3M

$22.2K PKR 6.2M

-36.83%

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

$20.6K ₹1.9M

$22.1K PKR 6.2M

-7.03%

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

$13.87 ₹1,312

$105 PKR 29.3K

-86.80%

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

$3.71 ₹351

$4.84 PKR 1,351

-23.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.50 ₹521

$13.61 PKR 3,799

-59.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.43 ₹1,176

$17.93 PKR 5,006

-30.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.83 ₹552

$12.18 PKR 3,401

-52.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.00 ₹284

$2.59 PKR 723

15.83%

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

$56.8 ₹5,374

$35.90 PKR 10.0K

58.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$933 ₹88.3K

$1,752 PKR 489.1K

-46.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.89 ₹2,166

$16.49 PKR 4,604

38.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.11 ₹2,282

$27.70 PKR 7,732

-12.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.07 ₹3,791

$68.7 PKR 19.2K

-41.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.97 ₹2,363

$28.67 PKR 8,003

-12.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 ₹12.3K

$84.6 PKR 23.6K

53.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$53.0 ₹5,016

$57.3 PKR 16.0K

-7.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 ₹23.1K

$173 PKR 48.2K

41.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 ₹14.6K

$128 PKR 35.8K

19.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$576 ₹54.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$337 ₹31.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$589 ₹55.8K

$178 PKR 49.6K

231.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.72

17.43

-49.97%

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

Last update for Varanasi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Multan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Varanasi and $84.6 in Multan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varanasi pays 232% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Varanasi vs $9.00 in Multan. Groceries flip the comparison at $88.0 vs $79.0, with Multan cheaper for home cooking.

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

Varanasi vs Multan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varanasi is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Varanasi pays 232% 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: $130 in Varanasi versus $84.6 in Multan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $56.8 in Varanasi versus $35.90 in Multan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Multan pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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 34% less than in Multan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.