Marla, Kanal and Square Feet Explained: How Big Is a 5 Marla or 1 Kanal Plot Really?

Two plots advertised as “10 marla” can differ by more than 470 square feet. That is not a trick — it is because Pakistan uses two different marlas, and property adverts rarely say which. This guide explains both, shows the conversions, and lists the plot dimensions you will commonly see in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

If you just need a number, use our Area Converter, which converts between marla, kanal, square feet, square metres, square yards and acres with either marla.

The two marlas

The 225 sq ft marla (societies)

Most private housing societies in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, including Faisal Hills, measure plots with a 225 sq ft marla. This makes plot sizes neat round numbers:

• 5 marla = 1,125 sq ft
• 7 marla = 1,575 sq ft
• 8 marla = 1,800 sq ft
• 10 marla = 2,250 sq ft
• 1 kanal (20 marla) = 4,500 sq ft
• 2 kanal = 9,000 sq ft

The 272.25 sq ft marla (revenue records)

The traditional revenue marla is 30.25 square yards, or 272.25 sq ft. It appears in land records and in some older areas:

• 5 marla = 1,361.25 sq ft
• 10 marla = 2,722.5 sq ft
• 1 kanal = 5,445 sq ft
• 8 kanal = 43,560 sq ft = 1 acre

That is why an acre is said to be eight kanal — it is exactly true only with the revenue marla.

Conversions you will need

• 1 kanal = 20 marla
• 1 square yard = 9 sq ft
• 1 square metre = 10.7639 sq ft
• 1 acre = 43,560 sq ft = 4,840 square yards
• 225 sq ft marla = 25 square yards ≈ 20.9 square metres
• 272.25 sq ft marla = 30.25 square yards ≈ 25.3 square metres

Common plot dimensions

Societies use standard dimensions for each size. Typical ones in the Twin Cities are:

• 3.5 marla — around 20 × 40 ft
• 5 marla — 25 × 45 ft (1,125 sq ft)
• 7 marla — 30 × 52.5 ft or similar
• 8 marla — 30 × 60 ft (1,800 sq ft)
• 10 marla — 35 × 65 ft (2,275 sq ft) is common; the exact size varies by society
• 1 kanal — 50 × 90 ft (4,500 sq ft)

Always check the dimensions on the allotment letter or possession documents rather than assuming.

Why this matters when you buy

Price per marla comparisons. If one society quotes per 225 sq ft marla and a village plot is measured with the 272.25 sq ft marla, the per-marla prices are not comparable. Convert both to price per square foot.

Construction cost. Builders price per square foot of covered area, not per marla. Convert your plot to square feet, then use the Buildable Area and Construction Cost calculators. Our article on construction cost per square foot in Islamabad works through each plot size.

Corner and extra land. Corner plots and plots with extra land are often measured in the same marla but priced at a premium. Confirm the exact area that is being sold.

Frequently confused units

• Sarsai — a smaller revenue unit (1 marla = 9 sarsai in the revenue system).
• Covered area vs plot area — plot area is the land; covered area is the floor space built on it across all storeys.
• Gaz — the local word for a yard; “square gaz” means square yards.

Quick answers

• 5 marla in square feet: 1,125 (society) or 1,361.25 (revenue)
• 10 marla in square feet: 2,250 (society) or 2,722.5 (revenue)
• 1 kanal in square feet: 4,500 (society) or 5,445 (revenue)
• 1 kanal in marla: 20
• 1 acre in kanal: 8 (revenue marla)