Marla and kanal explained
Pakistani land is sold in marla and kanal, not square feet, and the marla is not even the same size everywhere. Here are the numbers that let you compare plots honestly.
New to the jargon? Skim the property glossary, or price your purchase in the buyer tools.
01Why the units matter
Pakistani residential land is quoted in marla and kanal. If you think in square feet or square metres, you need the conversions, because price per marla is how the market compares plots. Get the unit wrong and you misread value badly.
02The core conversions
Use these as your working figures:
- 1 kanal equals 20 marla.
- 1 kanal is about 5,445 square feet, roughly 605 square yards.
- 1 marla is therefore about 272 square feet, roughly 30.25 square yards.
- 8 kanal equals 1 acre, about 43,560 square feet.
So a 1-kanal plot is around 605 square yards, a 10-marla plot around 302 square yards, and a 5-marla plot around 151 square yards.
03The catch, the marla is not fixed everywhere
Historically the marla varied by region. The common standard today, used in DHA, Bahria and most modern societies, treats 1 marla as about 272 square feet and 1 kanal as about 5,445 square feet. But in some older or rural records a marla was around 225 square feet, and in a few areas other local definitions survive. When a deal is quoted in marla, confirm which marla, especially outside the big planned societies.
04Typical plot sizes you will see
- 3 marla and 5 marla, entry-level homes and smaller plots.
- 7 marla and 8 marla, mid-size.
- 10 marla, a common family-home size.
- 1 kanal, a large plot, the standard premium size in DHA and Bahria.
- 2 kanal and above, large houses and semi-commercial.
05Reading price per marla
Agents quote both a lump-sum price and an implied price per marla. To sanity-check a plot, divide the asking price by the marla count and compare to nearby plots. Indicative example, a 10-marla plot asking PKR 3 crore implies about PKR 30 lakh per marla. If comparable plots in the same block sit near PKR 25 lakh per marla, you are paying a premium, and you should understand why, corner, boulevard, possession, or just an optimistic seller.
06Quick mental math
- 5 marla, think about 150 square yards.
- 10 marla, think about 300 square yards.
- 1 kanal, think about 600 square yards.
Those three numbers cover most residential conversations.
Want this handled for you?
Run the numbers first, or send the brief. We take it from shortlist to keys, with the fees priced upfront.