If you have been looking at property in Pakistan for any amount of time, you have heard the Marla system used constantly and probably still have moments where you try to picture exactly how much space 5 Marla actually is. This guide gives you the real numbers, shows you what families actually build on 5 Marla, and explains why this specific plot size has one of the strongest appreciation track records in Pakistan’s property market.
Exact measurements, 5 Marla in feet, yards and metres
In Punjab, which covers Lahore and all RUDA projects, 1 Marla is standardised at 272.25 square feet. So 5 Marla works out to 1,361 square feet, or roughly 125 square yards, or approximately 126 square metres. The physical dimensions are typically around 25 feet wide by 55 feet deep, though plot shapes vary depending on the layout of the specific scheme.
For perspective: a standard parking space is about 160 square feet. A double bedroom in most Pakistani homes is roughly 150 to 180 square feet. So 5 Marla gives you 1,361 square feet to work with, enough for a proper family home if it is designed intelligently.
What families actually build on 5 Marla
Single storey: two good-sized bedrooms, a bathroom, a drawing and dining area combined, and a kitchen. Comfortable for a couple or a small family starting out. Room for a small garden or a covered parking area at the front.
Double storey: three to four bedrooms across two floors, two bathrooms, a drawing room, dining, kitchen, and a proper rooftop terrace. This is the most common build on 5 Marla and it works well. Millions of Pakistani families live in double-storey 5 Marla homes and do not feel cramped.
Triple storey: possible but needs proper structural planning. Five to six rooms total, sometimes with one floor kept as a rental unit. A good option if you want the plot to generate income while you live in it.5 Marla is not a mansion. But it is a home, a real one, not a compromise.
Why 5 Marla appreciates faster than 10 Marla and 1 Kanal
This pattern holds up consistently across Pakistan’s property market history and the reason is straightforward: buyer pool size.
When you eventually want to sell a 5 Marla plot, you are selling to every family that wants to build a home AND every investor who wants to hold or flip. The buyer who can afford a 5 Marla plot far outnumbers the buyer who can afford 10 Marla or 1 Kanal. More competing buyers means faster sales and stronger price movement.
In Chahar Bagh specifically, early data from the Enclave is tracking exactly this way; 5 Marla plots are moving faster than larger categories. It mirrors what happened in DHA Lahore’s early phases and Bahria Town’s early sectors. The pattern is consistent enough that it is not really speculation at this point.
5 Marla in Chahar Bagh Enclave, the 2026 opportunity
The 5 Marla option in Chahar Bagh Enclave starts with a 10% down payment, followed by quarterly installments over 4 years. No interest. Government-backed asset from the first payment. Entry into Pakistan’s first smart city on the plot size that has historically appreciated fastest.
Based on the Phase 1 trajectory, the current 2026 price for a 5 Marla plot in the Enclave is not likely to be the 2028 price. That is not a guarantee, nothing in property is. But it is what the available evidence says.
How many square feet is 5 Marla in Pakistan?
In Punjab (where all RUDA projects are located), 5 Marla equals 1,361 square feet or approximately 125 square yards. Always confirm the specific Marla standard used by the developer, some schemes use 225 sq ft per Marla which gives 1,125 sq ft for 5 Marla.