Despite India’s stronger position on several headline macroeconomic indicators, including GDP per capita, Pakistani households appear to be investing more heavily in labour-saving household appliances, according to a new analysis released by Gallup Pakistan. The findings challenge conventional assumptions about living standards in South Asia and suggest that income levels alone do not fully explain household welfare.
The insights come from a “Big Data Analysis” report issued by Gallup Pakistan on January 23, 2026, which compares household consumption patterns in Pakistan and India. The analysis highlights a notable divergence in how families in the two countries allocate their resources, particularly when it comes to domestic convenience and long-term household assets.
According to the data, 57.6% of Pakistani households now own a washing machine, nearly three times higher than India’s ownership rate of around 20%. Analysts say this gap reflects a stronger preference among Pakistani families for technologies that reduce manual household labour, even amid broader economic pressures and macroeconomic volatility.
The trend is not limited to washing machines. In food preservation and storage, Pakistan also maintains an edge. The report shows that 56.2% of households in Pakistan own a refrigerator, compared to 50.2% in India. While the difference is narrower, it still points to a consistent pattern of Pakistani households prioritising appliances that support daily efficiency and improve quality of life.
Gallup analysts suggest these patterns indicate strategic household decision-making. Rather than focusing heavily on discretionary or status-based consumption, many Pakistani families appear to prioritise assets that offer long-term utility and reduce time-intensive domestic work. This approach, the report notes, can have meaningful implications for household productivity, especially in environments where extended families and limited domestic help are common.
India, however, continues to lead in entertainment-related household ownership. Television penetration stands at 66% in Indian households, compared to 50.2% in Pakistan. Despite this gap, the report notes that Pakistan has been gradually closing the distance since 2019, suggesting rising demand for entertainment and media access as economic conditions stabilize for certain segments of the population.
In transportation, the two countries display far more similar patterns. Motorcycle ownership is nearly identical, with 53.4% of households in Pakistan owning a motorcycle compared to 55% in India. This reflects the shared reliance on two-wheelers across South Asia as an affordable and practical mode of daily transport, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas.
Car ownership remains relatively low in both countries, underscoring broader affordability constraints. India holds a slight edge, with 8% of households owning a car compared to Pakistan’s 6.4%. The small difference suggests that private car ownership remains beyond the reach of the majority of households in both markets, regardless of overall economic size.
One of the key conclusions of the Gallup report is that GDP per capita does not always translate directly into improved household living standards. Factors such as relative pricing of appliances, access to credit, energy availability, infrastructure quality, and cultural priorities all play a significant role in shaping how income is converted into tangible improvements in daily life.
The findings also highlight the resilience of Pakistan’s middle-class aspirations. Despite recurring economic cycles and macroeconomic uncertainty, households continue to invest in technologies that improve domestic efficiency and comfort. This behavior, analysts argue, points to a strong underlying demand for quality-of-life improvements that persists even during periods of economic stress.
From a policy perspective, the data offers valuable insights for both countries. It suggests that measures aimed at improving affordability of essential household technologies, energy reliability, and consumer financing can have a direct and meaningful impact on living standards, independent of headline growth figures.
Ultimately, the Gallup analysis paints a more nuanced picture of household welfare in South Asia. While India’s economy may be larger in aggregate terms, Pakistani households appear to be making choices that prioritize immediate domestic well-being and long-term household productivity. The report reinforces the idea that living standards are shaped not only by income levels, but by how households choose to deploy their resources within existing economic and social constraints.
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