Marla, Kanal and Square Feet: Pakistani Plot Size Conversions Explained
Marla and Kanal mean different square footage in different societies. Here is how Pakistani plot units actually work, the conversions that are always safe, and the ones you must verify before you buy or sell.
If you have ever compared two "10 Marla" plots and found their covered areas differ by hundreds of square feet, you have met one of the most confusing quirks of Pakistani real estate: the Marla is not a single, universal unit.
Understanding exactly how your society measures plots matters for pricing, documentation and — above all — for comparing rates fairly. Here is the practical guide.
The one conversion you can always trust
Across Pakistan, one relationship never changes:
1 Kanal = 20 Marla
Whatever square footage a society assigns to its Marla, a Kanal in that same society is exactly twenty of them. That is why serious market comparisons are done in rate per Marla within the same society, rather than jumping between square-foot figures.
Why the square footage of a Marla varies
Historically, the Marla descends from British-era land measurement, where 1 Marla equalled 272.25 square feet (one four-hundredth of an acre). Many older urban areas, revenue records and some societies still use this traditional convention.
Most modern private housing schemes — including many of the large planned societies — adopted a rounded 225 square feet per Marla convention instead, because it maps neatly onto standard plot dimensions.
| Unit | Traditional convention | Common modern convention |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Marla | 272.25 sq ft | 225 sq ft |
| 5 Marla | 1,361.25 sq ft | 1,125 sq ft |
| 10 Marla | 2,722.5 sq ft | 2,250 sq ft |
| 1 Kanal (20 Marla) | 5,445 sq ft | 4,500 sq ft |
Square yards: the Karachi habit
In Karachi, plots are commonly quoted in square yards (gaz). The conversions are fixed:
- 1 square yard = 9 square feet
- A common "120 sq yd" plot = 1,080 sq ft
- A "240 sq yd" plot = 2,160 sq ft
- A "500 sq yd" plot = 4,500 sq ft
When comparing a Karachi listing with a Punjab listing, convert both to square feet first, and only then into Marla using the relevant society's convention.
Practical rules for buyers and sellers
- Compare within the same society in the same unit. Rate per Marla in DHA should be compared with rate per Marla in the same DHA phase — not with a square-yard rate from another city.
- Check the plot dimensions, not just the headline size. A "10 Marla" plot of 35 × 65 ft and one of 30 × 75 ft have different frontages, and frontage affects price.
- Watch for "extra land". Many plots carry a few extra square feet beyond the nominal size. Societies typically charge for it at transfer, and the market prices it in — make sure your valuation does too.
- Read the allotment or transfer letter. The legally relevant size is the documented one, not the one in the advertisement.
The bottom line
Treat "Marla" as shorthand that only gains meaning once you know the society. Anchor every comparison to 1 Kanal = 20 Marla, verify the square-foot convention in official documents, and convert Karachi's square yards before mixing them with Punjab listings. Those three habits prevent the most common — and most expensive — size misunderstandings in Pakistani property deals.
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