Furnished or Unfurnished: Which Rental Makes More Sense in Lahore?

A furnished place lets you move in with a suitcase. An unfurnished one is usually cheaper every month but means buying or moving everything yourself. Which one works out better depends mostly on how long you plan to stay and what you already own.

What the terms usually mean in Lahore

• Furnished: beds, sofas, dining table, wardrobes, curtains, and usually a fridge, washing machine and ACs. Sometimes kitchen utensils and bedding too.
• Semi-furnished: the fixed items are there, such as kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, fans, lights and often ACs or geysers, but no loose furniture.
• Unfurnished: an empty house or flat. Even here, kitchen cabinets and built-in wardrobes are common in newer homes.

These words are used loosely, so always ask for the actual list. One landlord's "semi-furnished" is another's "furnished".

Furnished suits you if

• You are staying for a year or less, for a job posting, studies or while your own house is being built.
• You are new to Lahore or moving from abroad and don't have furniture here.
• You don't want to spend a large amount up front.

Unfurnished suits you if

• You plan to stay two years or more. Over a long stay, the extra monthly rent for furniture usually adds up to more than buying your own.
• You already own furniture, or you are a family with particular needs.
• You want to choose your own beds, sofas and appliances.

A quick way to compare

Take the difference in monthly rent between a furnished and an unfurnished option in the same area, and multiply it by the number of months you expect to stay. Compare that figure with what it would cost you to buy, or move, the furniture and appliances you actually need. Don't forget ACs: they are one of the biggest costs, and installation and gas charges add up.

Before renting a furnished place

• Get a written inventory of every item and its condition, signed by both of you, and attach it to the rent agreement.
• Take photos of furniture and appliances on the day you move in.
• Test every AC, the fridge, washing machine and geyser.
• Agree who pays if an appliance breaks down from normal use. Usually that should be the landlord.
• Expect a slightly higher security deposit, since there is more to protect.

Before renting an unfurnished place

• Check what is fixed and staying: cabinets, wardrobes, fans, lights, geysers and AC brackets.
• Ask whether you can fit ACs and where the outdoor units can go.
• Budget for moving costs. Our moving checklist covers hiring movers.