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Gold in Pakistan is priced per tola for 24 karat. One tola is 11.6638 grams. Jewellery is usually 22 or 21 karat, so it is worth less per tola: at Rs 420,000 per tola for 24K, 22K gold is worth Rs 385,000 per tola. On top of that, jewellers add making charges when you buy and take a deduction when you sell.
This guide explains the units, how karat changes the price, and what you really pay and get back. All the prices here are examples, because the gold rate changes every day. Use today's rate from your sarafa market in the gold calculator.
Pakistani gold weights
| Unit | In grams | In tola |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tola | 11.6638 g | 1 |
| 1 masha | 0.9720 g | 1/12 |
| 1 ratti | 0.1215 g | 1/96 |
| 10 grams | 10 g | 0.8574 |
| 1 troy ounce | 31.1035 g | 2.6667 |
So 1 tola = 12 masha = 96 ratti, and 8 ratti make 1 masha. Jewellers often write a weight as tola, masha and ratti together, for example "1 tola 6 masha 4 ratti".
World gold prices are quoted per troy ounce. One tola is exactly 3/8 of a troy ounce, which is how the local rate follows the world price and the rupee exchange rate.
How to convert to grams
Turn everything into tola first, then multiply by 11.6638:
Example: 1 tola 6 masha = 1 + 6 ÷ 12 = 1.5 tola = 1.5 × 11.6638 = 17.4957 grams.
What karat means
Karat measures purity out of 24 parts. 24K is pure gold. 22K is 22 parts gold out of 24, or 91.67%.
| Karat | Purity | Per tola | Per 10 grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24K | 100% | Rs 420,000 | Rs 360,088 |
| 22K | 91.67% | Rs 385,000 | Rs 330,081 |
| 21K | 87.5% | Rs 367,500 | Rs 315,077 |
| 18K | 75% | Rs 315,000 | Rs 270,066 |
At an example 24K rate of Rs 420,000 per tola.
Most jewellery in Pakistan is 22K or 21K. 18K is common for pieces with stones, because it is harder and holds them better. Gold bars and coins are usually 24K.
Per tola or per 10 grams?
Sarafa associations publish both rates each day. They are the same price in different units: the 10-gram rate is the tola rate divided by 1.16638. If a shop quotes per gram, multiply by 11.6638 to compare it with the tola rate. For example, Rs 33,008 per gram for 22K is about Rs 385,000 per tola, the same as the table above.
Always compare like with like: the same karat and the same unit. A low "per gram" quote for 21K is not cheaper than a "per tola" quote for 22K until you convert both.
Worked example: buying a ring
A 21K ring weighs 5 masha, and the jeweller charges 10% making:
- Weight: 5 ÷ 12 = 0.4167 tola
- 21K rate: Rs 420,000 × 21 ÷ 24 = Rs 367,500 per tola
- Gold value: 0.4167 × Rs 367,500 = Rs 153,125
- Making charges: 10% × Rs 153,125 = Rs 15,313
- Price: about Rs 168,438
Making charges vary a lot by design and shop, from a few percent for plain pieces to 20% or more for detailed work. Some jewellers quote making per tola or per gram instead of a percentage, so ask for the total in rupees.
Worked example: selling a set
You sell a 22K set weighing 2 tola, and the jeweller takes a 5% deduction (katoti):
- 22K rate: Rs 385,000 per tola
- Gold value: 2 × Rs 385,000 = Rs 770,000
- Deduction: 5% × Rs 770,000 = Rs 38,500
- You get: Rs 731,500
The deduction covers testing the purity, removing stones, gold lost when melting, and the jeweller's margin. Making charges are almost never returned. So if you paid 10% making and sell with a 5% deduction, the gold price needs to rise by about 16% before you break even. How to calculate a percentage explains how to work out a rise like this.
Key idea For saving, buy gold with low making charges, such as plain 24K bars or coins. Fancy jewellery loses its making charges the day you buy it.
Planning a wedding set
Say you want a 22K set of about 3 tola, and the jeweller charges 12% making:
- Gold value: 3 × Rs 385,000 = Rs 1,155,000
- Making: 12% × Rs 1,155,000 = Rs 138,600
- Total: about Rs 1,293,600
If you buy the gold slowly over a year, for example 24K coins each month, you spread the cost and avoid buying everything on one expensive day. Then ask the jeweller to make the set from your gold and pay only for the making and any small top-up.
Gold as a saving
Many families in Pakistan keep gold as a store of value, because over long periods it has often kept up with or beaten the falling value of the rupee. What inflation really does to your savings explains why money left in cash loses value over time.
Gold has downsides too. It pays no profit while you hold it, its price can fall for months or years, and buying and selling costs you making charges and deductions. A savings account or fund earns profit that grows on itself, as simple vs compound interest shows. Many people keep part of their savings in gold and part elsewhere, rather than all in one place.
Gold and zakat
Gold is zakatable wealth, and most scholars in Pakistan include jewellery. Zakat is 2.5% of your total zakatable wealth once it stays above the nisab for a lunar year. The gold nisab is 7.5 tola, about 87.48 grams. Use the value from this page in the zakat calculator.
A quick checklist
- Check today's 24K rate per tola from your local sarafa association.
- Convert the weight to tola and use the right karat.
- Ask the jeweller for the gold value and making charges as separate figures.
- Ask for a receipt that shows the weight, karat and price.
- Before selling, ask two or three shops for their deduction.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams are in one tola of gold?
One tola is 11.6638 grams. It is the traditional unit used across Pakistan and India, and the sarafa associations publish their daily rates per tola.
Why is 22K cheaper than 24K?
Because 22K is only 91.67% gold. The rest is other metals, such as copper or silver, that make it harder and better for jewellery. Its price is 22/24 of the 24K price.
Why do jewellers deduct money when I sell gold?
They test the purity, remove stones and allow for gold lost when the piece is melted. The deduction covers this and their margin. It varies by shop and by how pure the gold turns out to be.
How do I check if my gold is really 22K?
Ask for a hallmark or a purity certificate when you buy. Many sarafa markets have testing machines that check purity in a few minutes for a small fee. If a piece tests lower than the karat you paid for, you have paid too much.
This article is for general education and is not financial advice. Rules, rates and products vary by lender and country. See our disclaimer.
