Marla and Kanal to Square Feet: 225 vs 272.25 Explained

By NexGama Studio · Updated October 25, 2026 · 2 min read

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Ask three people how big a 5 marla plot is and you may get three answers. That is not because anyone is wrong — Pakistan uses two different marla sizes, and a plot advertised as “10 marla” can differ by more than 470 square feet depending on which one the seller means. This guide explains both, gives a ready table, and shows how to convert any size in seconds.

The two marla standards

1 marla = 225 sq ft. The size used by most modern housing societies and development authorities, including DHA, Bahria Town, LDA schemes and CDA sectors in Islamabad. If you are buying in a planned society, this is almost always the one.
1 marla = 272.25 sq ft. The older revenue (patwari) standard, still found in older parts of Lahore, rural Punjab land records and inherited property documents.

Whichever marla is used, 1 kanal is always 20 marla. That makes a kanal either 4,500 sq ft or 5,445 sq ft. On the older standard, 8 kanal works out to exactly 43,560 sq ft — one acre — which is why farmland is still described in kanal and acres.

Plot size table

Plot	225 sq ft marla	272.25 sq ft marla
1 marla	225 sq ft (20.9 m²)	272.25 sq ft (25.3 m²)
3 marla	675 sq ft	816.75 sq ft
5 marla	1,125 sq ft	1,361.25 sq ft
7 marla	1,575 sq ft	1,905.75 sq ft
10 marla	2,250 sq ft	2,722.5 sq ft
1 kanal (20 marla)	4,500 sq ft (500 sq yd)	5,445 sq ft (605 sq yd)
2 kanal	9,000 sq ft	10,890 sq ft

A common 5 marla plot in a society measures 25 × 45 ft (1,125 sq ft), and a common 1 kanal plot measures 50 × 90 ft (4,500 sq ft). Multiply the length and width of any plot and divide by 225 or 272.25 to get its size in marla.

How to convert any size

Open the Unit Converter and choose the Area tab.
Pick the marla or kanal standard you need in the From list — both the 225 and 272.25 versions are there.
Type the number. The table underneath shows the same area in square feet, square yards, square metres, acres and hectares at once.

Square yards in Karachi

Karachi and most of Sindh quote plots in square yards rather than marla. One square yard is 9 square feet, so a 120 sq yd house is 1,080 sq ft — just under 5 marla on the 225 standard — and a 240 sq yd plot is 2,160 sq ft. The converter handles square yards too.

Before you pay a token

Ask the seller in writing which marla standard the size is based on, and check it against the plot’s actual length and width.
Compare prices per square foot, not per marla, when you look at plots in different areas — it removes the confusion completely.
When you compare price differences, the Percentage Calculator shows how much more one plot costs than another, and the Loan EMI Calculator shows the monthly instalment if you finance it.

Land records and society rules always take priority over a general guide like this one, so confirm the measurement with the society office or the land record before you sign.

Tools used in this guide

Unit ConverterLength, weight, temperature, volume, area, speed. Percentage CalculatorX% of Y, change between values, and more. Loan EMI CalculatorMonthly payment, total interest and schedule.