How Many Square Feet Are in a Marla? Pakistan’s Marla & Kanal Standards Explained (2026)

Rates last updated: 15 October 2026Page updated: 15 October 2026By Ali Ahmad

Quick answer: in most of Pakistan 1 Marla = 225 sq ft (25 sq yd or gaz) and 1 Kanal = 20 Marla = 4,500 sq ft. So 4 Marla = 900 sq ft, 5 Marla = 1,125 sq ft, 7 Marla = 1,575 sq ft (175 gaz), 10 Marla = 2,250 sq ft and 4 Kanal = 80 Marla (18,000 sq ft). Under the older 272.25 sq ft revenue Marla, 7 Marla is 1,905.75 sq ft and 1 Kanal is 5,445 sq ft.

Marla and Kanal conversion table

1 Kanal is always 20 Marla. 1 acre = 43,560 sq ft = 8 Kanal = 160 Marla under the 272.25 sq ft revenue Marla.

There is no single “sq ft per Marla” figure in Pakistan — four different standards are in everyday use: 225 sq ft (the most common, used by LDA, DHA, Bahria Town and most modern housing societies), 250 sq ft (Karachi and Cantonment Board areas), 272 sq ft (the Land Revenue Marla used in many local records) and 272.25 sq ft (the older Patwari / government revenue-record standard, still used in rural areas and older records, including much of Faisalabad). Because 1 Kanal always equals 20 Marla, the size of a Kanal shifts too — from 4,500 sq ft under the 225 sq ft standard up to 5,445 sq ft under the 272.25 sq ft standard.

The 4 Marla Standards Used in Pakistan

“Marla” is not a fixed, single unit — its size in square feet depends on which land-record system or housing authority issued the plot. The table below lists all four standards in common use:

These are the standards in general market use, not a legal ruling — always confirm the exact sq ft per Marla with the relevant housing authority or land record for your specific plot before relying on it.

1 Kanal Changes Too — It’s Always 20 Marla

Whichever Marla standard applies, 1 Kanal is always exactly 20 Marla — but because the Marla itself varies, so does the resulting size of a Kanal:

A Real Example: How Much Difference Does This Actually Make?

Take a plot everyone calls “10 Marla.” Depending on which standard applies, its actual size ranges from:

That’s a difference of 472.5 sq ft between the smallest and largest reading of the same “10 Marla” label — about 17% of the total plot size. On a bigger plot, or at typical per-square-foot land and construction rates, that gap can be worth millions of rupees, so it is never a difference to assume away.

How to Find Out Which Standard Your Plot Uses

1. Ask the housing authority or developer directly (LDA, DHA, Bahria Town and most modern societies use 225 sq ft per Marla, but always confirm for your specific scheme).
2. Check your allotment letter, possession letter or registry/intiqal documents — these usually state the plot area in sq ft or sq yd alongside the Marla figure, letting you back-calculate the standard used.
3. For rural land, older properties, or areas like Faisalabad, ask specifically whether the Patwari / revenue-record standard (272.25 sq ft) applies — this is common outside planned urban societies.
4. When in doubt, get the plot professionally surveyed and measured directly rather than relying on any Marla conversion.

Why This Matters When Buying a Plot

Never rely on the word “Marla” alone when buying, selling or budgeting for a plot in Pakistan. Always confirm with the housing authority or land record exactly how many square feet their Marla represents — the difference between standards can be as much as 17% of the total plot size, which directly affects both the price you should pay for the land and the true covered area you can build on. It also matters for construction: cost-per-Marla rates quoted by contractors are meaningless unless you know which Marla standard they used to calculate them, so always convert to square feet before comparing quotations.

Calculate Construction Cost For Your Exact Plot Size

Once you know your plot’s exact standard, select it from the “Marla / Kanal Standard” dropdown in the calculator below, enter your plot size, and get an instant, itemized construction cost estimate that matches your plot’s real area — not just its label. See our dedicated guides for 5 Marla, 10 Marla and 1 Kanal house construction costs for worked examples.