Karachi Housing Societies & Projects
Property in Karachi: DHA, Bahria Town Karachi, Gulshan and Scheme 33 Compared
Property in Karachi compared: DHA, Bahria Town Karachi, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and KDA Scheme 33 asking prices per sq ft, history and what to check before buying.
In short
By average asking price per square foot for houses on Zameen.com (August 2026), DHA Defence was highest at about PKR 45,000. Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town followed at about PKR 39,000, then Scheme 33 at about PKR 23,000 and Bahria Town Karachi at about PKR 11,000. DHA suits buyers who want an established, managed area and can pay for it. Bahria Town Karachi has the lowest entry prices of the four, but it has a long legal history. Gulshan-e-Iqbal is a dense, built-up district. Scheme 33 is a large KDA scheme made up of many cooperative societies, so each society needs checking on its own. Whatever you buy, verify the title, the allotment and any dues before paying.
Buying property in Karachi usually comes down to four names: DHA Karachi, Bahria Town Karachi, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and KDA Scheme 33. They differ sharply in price, age, legal history and the kind of buyer they suit. This guide puts them side by side using listing-portal asking prices from August 2026, with the background you need before you shortlist a plot or a house.
One note on units. Zameen.com's conversion guide points out that marla and kanal are Punjab and Islamabad units and are not the usual measure in Karachi, where sizes are commonly quoted in square yards. Zameen's price index, however, reports sizes in marla and kanal, so the figures below use those units.
Karachi property prices at a glance
The table shows Zameen.com's average asking prices for houses in August 2026. These are listing prices, not registered sale prices.
| Area | Average house asking price | Price per sq ft | 5 marla house average |
|---|---|---|---|
| DHA Defence | PKR 24.42 crore | PKR 45,000 | PKR 6.42 crore |
| Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town | PKR 12.56 crore | PKR 39,000 | PKR 3.61 crore |
| Scheme 33 | PKR 3.92 crore | PKR 23,000 | PKR 2.57 crore |
| Bahria Town Karachi | PKR 2.83 crore | PKR 11,000 | PKR 1.31 crore |
Zameen's conversion guide counts a marla as 225 sq ft, so a 5 marla house sits on roughly 1,125 sq ft. Compare like with like: the overall averages mix very different house sizes, so per-square-foot figures and same-size figures are a fairer guide.
DHA Karachi
DHA Karachi is the city's best-known planned area. Its official website lists services for members, including membership applications, a members' portal and area maps. It is currently promoting work in Phase VIII, including a re-planned Beach Marine area. DHA City Karachi is a separate project with its own website and its own instalment payments, so do not confuse a DHA City file with a plot in DHA Karachi.
Who it suits: families and buyers who want a mature neighbourhood, wide roads and managed services, and who can meet the highest prices in this comparison. Zameen's index puts a 1 kanal house in DHA Defence at an average asking price of about PKR 19.12 crore.
What to check: membership and transfer must go through DHA's own process. Ask the seller for the allotment and transfer documents, and check any outstanding DHA dues before you pay.
Bahria Town Karachi house for sale: what to know
Bahria Town Karachi offers the lowest entry prices of the four. On Zameen's index, a 5 marla house averaged about PKR 1.31 crore and a 10 marla house about PKR 2.09 crore.
Its legal background matters. On 21 March 2019, the Supreme Court accepted Bahria Town's offer of Rs460 billion for 16,896 acres in the Malir Development Authority area along the Karachi Superhighway, as Dawn reported. That followed a May 2018 judgment declaring the land grant and exchange illegal. In a hearing reported by Dawn in November 2023, the court noted that only Rs60.72 billion of the Rs460 billion had been paid. The same hearing ordered a survey of the scheme over alleged encroachment.
Who it suits: buyers who want a gated community at a lower price per square foot and are comfortable with the legal history.
What to check: follow the latest court and regulatory news, confirm your precinct and plot are within the developer's land, and get every payment receipt in writing.
Gulshan-e-Iqbal
Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town is a long-established, central district with houses, apartment blocks and markets. Zameen's index shows a 5 marla house averaging about PKR 3.61 crore and a 10 marla house about PKR 8.31 crore. Most stock here is built-up, so you are usually buying an existing house or flat rather than a plot.
Who it suits: families who want to be close to schools and established markets, and renters who want a central location.
What to check: the lease or sub-lease documents, the building's approval if it is an apartment, and the condition of older structures.
KDA Scheme 33
Scheme 33 is a large Karachi Development Authority scheme along the Superhighway. Dawn reported in 2002 that development had begun in 1980 and stalled for years, and that the scheme was tied to a large number of cooperative housing societies, including Gulzar-e-Hijri. Today, Zameen's index tracks dozens of sectors inside it. The average residential plot asking price is about PKR 2.07 crore, and a 5 marla plot averages about PKR 1.12 crore.
Who it suits: buyers looking for a plot to build on at a lower price than central districts, and those willing to wait for an area to develop.
What to check: Scheme 33 is not one society. Each cooperative society has its own records, approvals and level of development. Confirm the society's standing, the plot's allotment chain and whether roads, water and electricity have reached your sector.
Plot for sale in Karachi: comparing land prices
For residential plots, Zameen's August 2026 index shows a Karachi-wide average asking price of about PKR 4.09 crore. The averages were about PKR 20.35 crore in DHA Defence, PKR 2.07 crore in Scheme 33 and PKR 1.45 crore in Bahria Town Karachi. The gap between DHA and the rest is wide, which reflects location and development as much as size.
Prices are indicative as of October 2026.
For more on renting and buying in the city, see our more Karachi property guides.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, DHA Karachi or Bahria Town Karachi?
On Zameen.com's August 2026 index, Bahria Town Karachi was much cheaper. Its average house asking price was about PKR 11,000 per sq ft, against about PKR 45,000 in DHA Defence.
What is the price of a 5 marla house in Bahria Town Karachi?
Zameen's index put the average asking price at about PKR 1.31 crore in August 2026. Actual prices depend on the precinct and the condition of the house.
Is KDA Scheme 33 a single housing society?
No. It is a large KDA scheme made up of many cooperative housing societies and sectors. Check each society separately.
Are marla and kanal used in Karachi?
Not usually. Marla and kanal are mainly Punjab and Islamabad units, and Karachi sellers commonly quote square yards. Some portals convert sizes to marla, so check the unit on every listing.
What should I check before buying property in Karachi?
Check the seller's title and allotment documents, any dues owed to the society or authority, and the legal status of the project. For apartments, also check the building approval.
Sources
- Zameen.com: Houses Price Index in Karachi zameen.com
- Zameen.com: Residential Plots Price Index in Karachi zameen.com
- Zameen.com: Houses Price Index, DHA Defence Karachi zameen.com
- Zameen.com: Houses Price Index, Bahria Town Karachi zameen.com
- Zameen.com: Houses Price Index, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town Karachi zameen.com
- Zameen.com: Houses Price Index, Scheme 33 Karachi zameen.com
- Zameen.com: Residential Plots Price Index, Scheme 33 Karachi zameen.com
- Zameen.com Blog: Plot size conversions in Pakistan zameen.com
- DHA Karachi: official website dhakarachi.org
- Dawn: SC accepts Bahria Town Karachi's Rs460bn offer (March 2019) dawn.com
- Dawn: Supreme Court hearing on Bahria Town Karachi payments (November 2023) dawn.com
- Dawn: Development work launched in KDA Scheme-33 (November 2002) dawn.com
