Pakistan leads India in household assets despite lower per-capita GDP: report
- Washing machine ownership far higher in Pakistan.
- Pakistan also leads India in refrigerator ownership.
- India dominates TV ownership, but gap has narrowed.
ISLAMABAD: Despite India’s lead on key macroeconomic measures such as GDP per capita, Pakistani households are more likely to own labour-saving appliances, The News reported on Saturday, citing a new Gallup Pakistan analysis.
According to a “Big Data Analysis” report released by Gallup Pakistan on January 23, 2026, household consumption patterns in Pakistan and India show a marked divergence.
The data found that 57.6% of Pakistani households now own a washing machine — nearly triple India’s 20% ownership rate — indicating a stronger preference in Pakistan for technologies that reduce household labour despite broader economic pressures.
The trend extends to food preservation, where Pakistan maintains a lead with 56.2% of households owning a refrigerator, compared to 50.2% in India. Analysts suggest these figures reflect a strategic choice by Pakistani families to prioritise domestic convenience and long-term assets over other forms of consumer spending.
While India continues to dominate in entertainment- with 66% of its households owning a television compared to Pakistan’s 50.2% – the report notes that this gap has been narrowing since 2019, indicating that Pakistani households are gradually catching up in the entertainment sector as well.
In the realm of transportation, the two neighbours show many more similar patterns. Motorcycle ownership is nearly identical, with 53.4% in Pakistan and 55% in India, highlighting the shared regional necessity of two-wheelers for daily mobility.
Car ownership remains low in both nations, with India holding a marginal lead of 8% against Pakistan’s 6.4%. These findings underscore a critical takeaway: GDP per capita does not always serve as a direct mirror for household welfare.
Factors such as relative pricing, infrastructure, and cultural values play a decisive role in how income is converted into actual living standards.
Ultimately, the Gallup report suggests that while India’s economy may be larger in aggregate terms, Pakistani households appear to be investing more heavily in technologies that improve the immediate quality of domestic life.
By prioritising labour-saving devices, Pakistan is carving out a unique path in household development that offers valuable insights for social and economic policy across South Asia.
The data highlights that living standards are a product of both income and choice, revealing a resilient middle-class aspiration in Pakistan that persists despite the country’s macroeconomic volatility.
