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: $314 in Varanasi versus $402 in Multan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $517 in Varanasi versus $602 in Multan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $720 in Varanasi versus $802 in Multan.

Living in Varanasi costs roughly 22% less than in Multan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Varanasi 76% lower, Multan 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.31 ₹221

$2.13 PKR 591

8.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.96 ₹857

$8.64 PKR 2,398

3.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.51 ₹336

$5.29 PKR 1,467

-33.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 PKR 857

Cappuccino

$1.50 ₹143

$1.38 PKR 384

8.70%

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

$0.31 ₹29.51

$0.30 PKR 83.7

3.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.45

$0.21 PKR 57.5

-38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₹171

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₹222

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 ₹61.8

$0.59 PKR 164

10.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 ₹35.38

$0.60 PKR 166

-38.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.52 ₹50.2

$1.08 PKR 300

-51.85%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹90.7

$1.03 PKR 287

-7.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.60 ₹344

$4.91 PKR 1,363

-26.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.54 ₹243

$2.58 PKR 717

-1.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.15 PKR 876

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 ₹145

$0.98 PKR 273

55.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 ₹63.2

$0.71 PKR 198

-7.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 ₹83.8

$0.57 PKR 159

54.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹36.85

$0.52 PKR 143

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 ₹27.94

$0.38 PKR 105

-23.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.27 ₹25.91

$0.43 PKR 119

-37.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ₹33.26

$0.60 PKR 166

-41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.47

$0.39 PKR 107

-25.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.89 PKR 526

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 PKR 450

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 PKR 515

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 ₹278

$1.92 PKR 533

51.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.84 ₹559

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₹157

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ₹251

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

$4.67 ₹447

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₹56.6

$0.17 PKR 47.24

247.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.66 ₹1,019

$7.16 PKR 1,986

48.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.20 ₹19.10

$1.05 PKR 291

-80.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₹10.70

$0.30 PKR 84.4

-63.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₹112

$1.44 PKR 398

-18.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₹111

$0.99 PKR 275

17.17%

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

$14.1K ₹1.4M

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

-36.96%

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

$21.3K ₹2.0M

$22.0K PKR 6.1M

-3.38%

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

$13.81 ₹1,321

$105 PKR 29.1K

-86.83%

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

$3.54 ₹338

$4.73 PKR 1,312

-25.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.59 ₹534

$13.99 PKR 3,884

-60.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.28 ₹1,174

$17.76 PKR 4,930

-30.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 ₹559

$12.13 PKR 3,367

-51.77%

Cinema Ticket

$2.97 ₹284

$2.71 PKR 753

9.59%

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

$57.5 ₹5,499

$36.21 PKR 10.1K

58.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$926 ₹88.6K

$1,792 PKR 497.4K

-48.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.97 ₹2,197

$16.31 PKR 4,528

40.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.51 ₹2,344

$27.54 PKR 7,644

-11.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.19 ₹3,939

$68.6 PKR 19.0K

-39.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.96 ₹2,387

$28.70 PKR 7,965

-13.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 ₹12.2K

$87.0 PKR 24.2K

46.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.5 ₹5,022

$58.2 PKR 16.1K

-9.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 ₹24.1K

$178 PKR 49.3K

41.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 ₹15.1K

$125 PKR 34.7K

26.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$558 ₹53.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$331 ₹31.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 ₹54.7K

$184 PKR 51.1K

210.47%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Multan: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Varanasi and $87.0 in Multan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varanasi pays 210% 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 $81.0, 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 210% higher in Varanasi, 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: $127 in Varanasi versus $87.0 in Multan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $57.5 in Varanasi versus $36.21 in Multan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Multan pay roughly 9% 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 28% less than in Multan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.