- The number of washing machine owners is much higher in Pakistan.
- Pakistan also leads India in ownership of refrigerators.
- India dominates TV ownership, but the gap has narrowed.
ISLAMABAD: Despite India’s lead on key macroeconomic measures such as GDP per capita, Pakistani households are more likely to own labor-saving devices, News reported on Saturday, citing a new analysis from Gallup Pakistan.
According to a “Big Data Analysis” report published by Gallup Pakistan on January 23, 2026, household consumption patterns in Pakistan and India show a marked divergence.
The data reveals that 57.6% of Pakistani households now own a washing machine – almost triple the 20% ownership rate in India – indicating a stronger preference in Pakistan for technologies that reduce domestic labor despite wider economic pressures.
The trend extends to food preservation, where Pakistan continues to 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 prioritize home comforts and long-term assets over other forms of consumer spending.
While India continues to dominate the entertainment sector – with 66% of its households owning a TV, compared to 50.2% in Pakistan – the report notes that this gap has narrowed since 2019, indicating that Pakistani households are also gradually catching up in the entertainment sector.
In the field of transport, the two neighbors show much more similar trends. Motorcycle ownership is almost identical, at 53.4% in Pakistan and 55% in India, highlighting the common regional necessity of two-wheelers for daily mobility.
The motorization rate remains low in both countries, with India holding a marginal lead of 8% compared to 6.4% for Pakistan. These results underline an essential point: GDP per capita does not always serve as a direct mirror of household well-being.
Factors such as relative prices, infrastructure and cultural values play a decisive role in how income is converted into real living standards.
Ultimately, the Gallup report suggests that while India’s economy may be larger in overall terms, Pakistani households appear to be investing more in technologies that improve the immediate quality of domestic life.
By prioritizing labor-saving schemes, Pakistan is charting a unique path in household development that offers valuable insights for social and economic policy in South Asia.
The data highlights that living standards are the product of both income and choice, revealing a resilient middle-class aspiration in Pakistan that persists despite the country’s macroeconomic volatility.
