The Price Gap Index: Pakistan vs. Abroad
Quick answer
This index tracks the price gap between international retail and Pakistan's local market across 20 commonly-requested products, each sourced and dated — electronics typically run 20–50% higher in Pakistan, with exceptions noted inline where the comparison isn't a clean match (different models, no reliable local price, etc.).
Price gap: Pakistan vs. abroad, by product
| Product | International price | Pakistan price | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 5 (disc) | AED 2,020 (noon.com UAE) | PKR 221,990–225,000 | ~40–50% |
| Dyson Airwrap Complete | $579.99 (dyson.com US) | PKR 180,000–255,000 (resale) | Varies by reseller |
| Jordan 1 (average resale) | Retail price | ~48% resale premium (StockX avg.) | ~48% |
| Huda Beauty palette | hudabeauty.com (no PK checkout) | Reseller-dependent | N/A — ships via forwarder/reseller only |
| iPhone 18 Pro (256GB)* | $1,199 (international retail) | ~PKR 389,000–450,000 (Non-PTA) | Non-PTA ≠ usable long-term |
| MacBook Air (13", M4, 256GB) | $999 (apple.com US list) | ~PKR 285,000–295,000 | Widens further with retailer sales on the US side |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 (256GB) | $999.99 (US, post Oct 2026 price rise) | PKR 299,999 (official Pakistan launch price) | Later PK retail listings run up to PKR 319,999 |
| AirPods Pro 3 | $249 (apple.com US list) | ~PKR 74,999 | US street price is often discounted to $170–200 |
| Nike Dunk Low* | ~$115 (US retail) | Not centrally tracked | Est. comparable to Jordan 1's ~48% resale premium |
| Sephora Favorites skincare set* | $24–58 (sephora.com) | No reliable comparable | N/A |
| Shein fashion bundle* | ~$30–60 (typical multi-item order) | Same + Pakistan import duty | Duty-dependent, not fixed (~0–100%, ~20% avg. per FBR tariff schedule) |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | $499.99 (US, post Sep 2026 price rise) | ~PKR 165,000–182,000 | Multiple PK retailers checked, Oct 2026 |
| Apple Watch Series 11 (42mm GPS) | $399 (apple.com US list) | ~PKR 107,199 | US often discounted to $279–339 |
| GoPro Hero13 Black | $399 (US list) | ~PKR 114,999 | US street price frequently $320–400 |
| DJI drone (consumer)* | ~$759 (DJI Mini 4 Pro, US) | PKR 129,999 (DJI Neo — cheapest DJI model sold in PK) | Not a like-for-like model match |
| Levi's 501 jeans* | ~$79.50 (US list) | No reliable genuine-501 price found | N/A |
| Ray-Ban Wayfarer | ~$150–200 (US) | PKR 8,000–25,000 (genuine) / lower listings often counterfeit | Wide range — verify authenticity before buying locally |
| Kindle Paperwhite (2026, 16GB) | $199.99 (US) | ~PKR 69,999 (12th-gen) | PK listing is the previous generation, not the newest 2026 model |
| Dior Sauvage EDT (100ml) | ~$145–149 (resale reference — no confirmed dior.com price) | PKR 33,500–76,622 (wide variance across retailers) | Wide range — verify authenticity, counterfeits common |
| LEGO UCS Millennium Falcon (75192)* | $849.99 (US retail) | No current PKR figure found | N/A |
Checked 27 Oct 2026 unless noted otherwise. Rows marked * carry a caveat — hover the asterisk, or see the list below.
- iPhone 18 Pro (256GB): Non-PTA is the grey-market price for an unregistered phone — it isn't the same as a fully-registered local retail price. See our iPhone price guide.
- Nike Dunk Low: No official Nike distribution in Pakistan and no reliable PKR resale tracker found — this gap is an estimate by analogy to the Jordan 1 row above, not an independently confirmed figure.
- Sephora Favorites skincare set: Sephora doesn't operate in Pakistan (see our guide) and no trustworthy PKR price for an equivalent skincare set was found — not estimated.
- Shein fashion bundle: Pakistan's duty rate varies by HS code/category — not a single fixed percentage. See our Shein guide.
- DJI drone (consumer): The cheapest DJI model with confirmed Pakistan retail pricing (DJI Neo) isn't the same model as the Mini 4 Pro priced internationally — treat this row as illustrative, not a direct comparison.
- Levi's 501 jeans: The only Pakistan figure we found (a cost-of-living index listing "Levi's 501 or similar") likely reflects generic local jeans, not confirmed genuine Levi's — not used here to avoid overstating confidence.
- LEGO UCS Millennium Falcon (75192): No current Pakistan retail listing found for this set — the only Pakistan LEGO reference we found dates to a 2013 store opening.
Methodology
For each row, we compare the most representative international retail price we could confirm against the most representative Pakistani retail price for the same (or closest available) product and spec, from retailer listings and price trackers checked on the date shown. Pakistani retail prices move with the dollar rate and vary by seller — treat these as a realistic range, not an exact quote. Where we couldn't find a reliable figure on either side, we say so explicitly rather than estimate one. This table is checked periodically, not continuously, so a given row's figures are only as current as its checked date.
Download the data
Download this table as CSV — includes every row above, plus its caveat note where one applies.
Sources
- 🎮 PlayStation 5 — the disc consolenoon.com UAE · AED 2,020 (≈ $550)Checked 04 Sept 2026
- 💨 Dyson Airwrapdyson.com (US) · $500–$650Checked 04 Sept 2026
- 👟 Limited sneaker drops — Jordan 1s, Dunks, the collabsNike SNKRS / retailers abroadChecked 04 Sept 2026
- 💄 Huda Beauty — the palette all over your FYPDubai · hudabeauty.comChecked 04 Sept 2026
FAQs
- We take the international retail price (converted to PKR at the exchange rate on the day it was checked) and compare it to the lowest commonly-available local retail or resale price for the same product, same spec. The methodology note on this page has the exact detail for each row.
- Each row carries its own checked date — prices move, so a row's figure is only as current as that date. Rows marked [VERIFY] haven't been checked yet and don't carry a claimed figure.
- Yes — a CSV export of the current table is available on this page so you can reference the sourced figures and their dates directly.
Related
PS5 Price: Dubai vs. Pakistan
A PS5 disc console runs about AED 2,020 (≈$550) on noon.com UAE, while Pakistani retailers list it around PKR 222,000–225,000 — a markup of roughly 40–50%. Buying it abroad and having a verified traveler carry it in closes most of that gap, even after a delivery reward.
Dyson Airwrap Price in Pakistan
The Dyson Airwrap Complete lists for $579.99 on dyson.com (US), while Pakistani resellers — who are the only local option, since Dyson doesn't sell here directly — price it around PKR 180,000–255,000. A traveler bringing it from a market where Dyson does sell officially avoids that reseller premium entirely.
iPhone Price: Dubai vs. Pakistan (Including PTA Tax)
The iPhone 18 Pro runs $1,199 at international retail, while Pakistan's Non-PTA (unregistered) price for the 256GB model sits around PKR 389,000–450,000 — but a Non-PTA phone doesn't work properly on a local SIM long-term. The real comparison is international price plus PTA tax vs. Pakistan's fully-registered local price, and PTA tax depends on the model, so check PTA's own calculator before assuming a saving.
MacBook Price: USA vs. Pakistan
A 13-inch MacBook Air (M4, 256GB) lists at $999 on apple.com US, versus roughly PKR 285,000–295,000 at Pakistani retail — and US retailers frequently discount it further, especially around Black Friday, widening the gap beyond the list-price comparison.
Original Jordan 1 Price in Pakistan
Nike never allocates Jordan 1 releases to Pakistan, so every pair sold here — including through resellers — is resale, not retail. StockX's own data shows an average resale premium of roughly 48% over original retail globally; a traveler buying at retail price in a market where the release actually drops avoids that premium.