Marla, Kanal, Sarsai: A Working Guide to Land Area Units

This used to be a back-of-the-envelope job. Now it is one tap, but the logic has not changed. If you have ever heard '5 marla house' and nodded politely, this is the post that closes the gap.

The formula behind marla to square feet converter

1 marla = 272.25 sq ft (Pakistan standard) = 25.293 sq m. 1 kanal = 20 marla = 5,445 sq ft.

Examples

• A 'standard 10 marla plot' = 2,722.5 sq ft — typical suburban Pakistani home plot.
• 1 kanal = 4,500 sq ft in some older Lahore deeds. Always check the local definition.
• 1 acre = 8 kanal = 160 marla = 43,560 sq ft.

Why marla varies

British colonial measurement varied by district. Modern Pakistan standardised marla at 272.25 sq ft, but legacy deeds (especially in Lahore and Punjab) may use 225 sq ft.

Quick mental conversions

1 marla ≈ a 16.5 ft × 16.5 ft square. 1 kanal ≈ a tennis court without surrounding margin. 1 acre ≈ a football pitch minus the goals.

When buying or selling

Always confirm: marla size used (272.25 vs 225 sq ft), front vs total area, corridor and shared-driveway deductions.

Frequently asked questions

Is marla used outside Pakistan and India? It originated in colonial India and is still common in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh — with local size variations.

What is sarsai? 1 sarsai = 1/9 marla = 30.25 sq ft. Used for very small leftover plots and in older land records.

Run your own numbers before you trust a rule of thumb. Two minutes saves a lot of regret. Try the Marla, Kanal, Sarsai linked above to put these numbers to work right now.