Cash, ATMs and JazzCash in Lahore: Money Tips for Visitors

In Lahore, cash is still king in bazaars, food streets, rickshaws and the Walled City, while cards work in hotels, malls and most restaurants. ATMs of major banks are everywhere, but some reject foreign cards, so carry a backup. Locals pay with mobile wallets such as JazzCash and Easypaisa; visitors need a Pakistani SIM in their own name to open one.

Where you can pay how

Place	Cash	Card	Mobile wallet
Hotels	Yes	Yes	Sometimes
Malls and brand shops	Yes	Yes	Often
Restaurants (MM Alam, Gulberg)	Yes	Usually	Often
Food streets, old bazaars	Yes	Rarely	Sometimes
Rickshaws, kite sellers	Yes	No	Rarely
Ride hailing	Yes	Depends on app	Depends on app

ATMs and exchanging money

• Use ATMs inside bank branches, malls or hotels; they are safer and less likely to swallow cards.
• If one ATM rejects your foreign card, try another bank.
• Tell your bank you are travelling to Pakistan to avoid blocks.
• Exchange cash at licensed exchange companies or banks; avoid street changers.
• Carry some small notes (Rs 100, 500, 1,000): many vendors cannot change Rs 5,000 notes.

JazzCash and Easypaisa

These mobile wallets are used for transfers, bills and shop payments by QR code. To open one you need a Pakistani SIM registered in your name (CNIC, NICOP or passport). Overseas Pakistanis with a CNIC can set one up quickly; foreign visitors on short trips usually find cash and cards simpler.

How much cash for a Basant day?

Expense	Rough budget
Rickshaw rides	A few hundred rupees per short trip
Street food meal	A few hundred to Rs 1,500 per person
Kites and string	Kites about Rs 250 to 500; string about Rs 4,000 to 7,500 per pinna (2026)
Monument entries	Rs 30 to 100 for Pakistanis; Rs 500 to 1,000 for foreigners

Figures are rough guides based on 2026 reports; prices rise during Basant.

Frequently asked questions

Do shops in Lahore accept cards?

Hotels, malls and most restaurants do. Bazaars, food streets, rickshaws and kite sellers mostly want cash.

سوال: کیا لاہور میں کارڈ چلتا ہے؟

ہوٹل، مال اور زیادہ تر ریسٹورنٹس کارڈ لیتے ہیں، بازار، فوڈ اسٹریٹس اور رکشے زیادہ تر نقد۔

Do ATMs in Lahore accept foreign cards?

Many do, but not all. Use bank-branch ATMs and carry a backup card or some cash.

Can tourists use JazzCash?

You need a Pakistani SIM in your own name to open an account. Short-stay visitors usually rely on cash and cards.

سوال: کیا سیاح جاز کیش استعمال کر سکتے ہیں؟

اکاؤنٹ کے لیے اپنے نام کی پاکستانی سم چاہیے، کم مدت کے سیاح عموماً نقد اور کارڈ استعمال کرتے ہیں۔