Living in Lahore presents significant challenges, primarily driven by severe air pollution—often ranking it among the world's most polluted cities—extreme summer heat, and intense, year-round traffic congestion. Additional downsides include rising crime rates, high property prices, frequent power interruptions, and, for many, the intense, bustling atmosphere.
One of the major cons of living in Lahore is the city's traffic congestion. With a population of over 11 million, Lahore's roads are often jam-packed, especially during peak hours. This not only leads to long commuting times but also contributes to the city's air pollution.
The cons of living in Pakistan include the lack of infrastructure, poor public transportation, and the security situation. The average cost of living for an expat is around $1,000 to $2,000 per month. This includes rent, utilities, food, and other expenses.
The collapse of Lahore saw the end of the Hindu Shahi rule. The entire wealth of the city was removed, “right down to the last nail” as Al-Biruni was to write. His slave Ayaz and three other generals were left behind with a small army. Ayaz was assigned the task of rebuilding the Lahore Fort and the city walls.
In the 2025 Numbeo Index, it ranked 37th globally for low crime and 63rd for overall safety. This means it's even safer than big cities like New York, London, and Paris!
Luxury Living in Lahore | DHA Phase 6 Lahore | Pakistan's Most Elite Lifestyle
Is it safe to live in Lahore?
According to Numbeo's 2025 Crime & Safety Index, Lahore now ranks 37th globally on the Crime Index and 63rd among the safest cities worldwide, surpassing major capitals such as New York, London, Paris, and Berlin.
Lahore stands as Pakistan's safest city. Under CM Maryam Nawaz's unprecedented measures, crime has fallen by an impressive 52% in just 11 months. Lahore stands as Pakistan's safest city.
Lahore. Lahore is the capital of Punjab and attracts large numbers of tourists and business travellers. While the city has a widespread police presence, there have been recent terrorist attacks. These have targeted public places and government or security forces.
The primary language in Lahore is Punjabi, its native tongue, but Urdu (Pakistan's official language) and English are also widely spoken, especially in business, government, and among the educated, making Lahore a bilingual/multilingual city where people often switch between them depending on the context.
The average salary for jobs in Lahore, Pakistan is Rs 1,661,536 (PKR) per year or an hourly rate of Rs 799 (PKR). The above data is a sample of data available in ERI's Global Salary Calculator.
Strong Islamic codes of dress and behaviour exist in Pakistan. Avoid wearing shorts or sleeveless clothes. If you visit a mosque, your arms, legs, and head (for women) must be covered. Avoid physical contact between men and women in public.
Lahore is not just a great place to live – it's also a smart place to invest your money in real estate. If you buy an apartment in Lahore today, it will likely be worth more money in a few years.
In 2024, the city's annual average PM2.5 concentration (102.1 µg/m3) remained in the unhealthy range, highlighting a long-standing air pollution crisis rather than an isolated event. Lahore, Pakistan, ranked as the most polluted major city as of January 17, 2026, at 6:30 PM (PT).
According to the Nimbus 2025 Crime and Safety Index, Lahore now ranks 37th on the Global Crime Index and 63rd among the safest cities worldwide, surpassing major capitals like New York, London, Paris and Berlin. In just one year, criminal horror fell sharply from nearly 95,000 cases to 38,000.
The best places to live in Lahore offer a mix of security, amenities, and lifestyle, with DHA, Gulberg, Bahria Town, and Model Town frequently cited as top choices for upscale living, while areas like Johar Town, WAPDA Town, and Valencia Town provide great family-friendly options with modern facilities and varying price points, balancing luxury with affordability and accessibility.
An entry-level professional earning PKR 50,000 monthly can expect to earn approximately PKR 66,000 after 2-5 years of experience, PKR 80,000 after 5-10 years, and over PKR 100,000 after 15+ years in the same field.
Pakistan is home to three of the world's most affordable cities, according to the 2025 Numbeo Cost of Living Index. Lahore and Karachi ranked third and fourth, respectively, as the cheapest cities globally, while Islamabad secured the 314th spot out of 327 cities surveyed.
According to Numbeo's 2025 Crime and Safety Index, Lahore has become one of the safest cities in the world, ranking 63rd globally and surpassing major cities like New York, London, and Paris.
1. DHA Lahore. DHA is one of the richest and thought-out communities in Pakistan, providing excellent facilities, good security, and quality of life. For both residential and business ventures, it is extremely popular.
The Philippines, Pakistan, Kenya and Bangladesh to be added to England's red list from 9 April 2021. Passenger airline. Philippines, Pakistan, Kenya and Bangladesh have been added to England's red list to protect the country against new variants of coronavirus (COVID-19), at a critical time for the vaccine programme.
Most expats in Pakistan choose to live in one of the country's three main cities: Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi. Within these cities there are some key neighbourhoods that are popular to expats due to their safety, amenities and proximity to schools, healthcare facilities and business centres.
Lahore ranks safer than many major global cities, with a 2025 crime index of just 37.0. That's lower than Mumbai (44.3), Auckland (50.1), New York (50.7), London (55.1), and Paris (58.0).
