Property in Pakistan is measured in units that confuse even locals: marla, kanal, square feet, square yards and acres. Here is how they fit together — and the trap to watch for.
The two marlas
A marla is not one fixed size.
- Most housing societies — DHA, Bahria Town and the newer schemes — count 1 marla = 225 sq ft.
- Land revenue records and many older areas use 1 marla = 272.25 sq ft.
So a "10 marla" plot is 2,250 sq ft in most societies but 2,722.5 sq ft by the older measure — a difference of over 470 sq ft. Always ask which marla the seller means.
The rest of the units
- 1 kanal = 20 marla — 4,500 sq ft at 225, or 5,445 sq ft at 272.25.
- 1 acre = 43,560 sq ft — that's 8 kanal at the older marla.
- 1 square yard = 9 sq ft. Karachi usually measures plots in square yards ("a 240-yard house").
- 1 square metre ≈ 10.76 sq ft.
Comparing plots
To compare prices fairly, bring everything to the same unit — price per marla or per square foot. Our area unit converter does the sums for both marla sizes, and every listing on Matti shows its price per marla next to the typical price for its area.
Covered area is different
The plot size is not the size of the house. A house's covered area is the floor area of every storey added together; a double-storey house on a 10 marla plot often has well over 3,000 sq ft covered. If you're building, our construction cost calculator works from covered area.
