How much does therapy cost in Pakistan? Listed fees, explained

Cost is one of the first questions people ask about therapy, and one of the hardest to get a straight answer to. There is no official national rate. So instead of guessing, we read the fees that therapists publicly list on two of Pakistan's largest booking sites and set them out below, with the date we checked.

How much does therapy cost in Pakistan?

On 28 October 2026, we read the first page of results on four public directory pages. The fees were set by individual therapists and doctors:

How to read this table. These are individual listed prices from a small sample, not a national average. The pages hold hundreds more listings that we did not read, and fees change. The directory pages also print their own summary ranges, and these did not always match the listings. Oladoc's Lahore page, for example, says fees for top psychologists range from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 15,000, and Marham's Karachi psychiatrist page says Rs. 500 to Rs. 3,000, while several doctors on it listed Rs. 3,500 or more. Always check the individual profile.

What affects the price of a session?

• The professional. Psychologists and psychiatrists set their own fees. In our sample, psychiatrists in Karachi listed fees in a similar range to psychologists, but a psychiatrist visit may also lead to medication costs.
• Experience, but not neatly. You might expect fees to rise with years of practice. In the listings we read, they often did not: one psychologist with 3 years' experience listed Rs. 5,000, while others with more than 30 years listed Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 4,000. Fee is not a reliable signal of quality on its own.
• The clinic. The same doctor can charge different fees at different hospitals or clinics. One Karachi psychiatrist listed five clinics with fees from Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 5,000.
• Online or in person. Video is not reliably cheaper. Some therapists listed a lower video fee, some the same, and one Lahore psychologist listed Rs. 3,000 for video and Rs. 1,500 in clinic.
• Session length. The listings rarely state how long a session lasts. A lower fee for a shorter session may not be cheaper per minute, so ask.

Is online therapy cheaper than in-person therapy?

Per session, not reliably, as the listings above show. The real savings are often around the session: no transport, no time off work for travel, and no waiting room. For people outside big cities, online sessions can be the difference between seeing a specialist and not seeing one at all. Our guide to online therapy in Pakistan covers how it works and who it suits.

How much will therapy cost in total?

Therapy usually involves several sessions, so the total matters more than one fee. Multiply the session fee by how often you will meet. At a listed fee of Rs. 2,500, for example, four weekly sessions come to Rs. 10,000 a month; at Rs. 5,000, they come to Rs. 20,000. Ask your therapist early how many sessions they expect, and agree to review progress after a few.

What should I ask before booking?

• What is the fee, and how long is the session?
• Is the fee the same for online and in-person sessions?
• What is the cancellation or rescheduling policy?
• Do you offer a reduced fee for students or people on low incomes?
• Is there any contact between sessions, and is it included in the fee?
• For a psychiatrist: how often will follow-ups be needed, and roughly what will medication cost?

It is also worth checking qualifications. Our guide on how to find a therapist in Pakistan explains what to ask a psychologist and how psychiatrists are registered.

Are there free or low-cost options?

• Free helplines. The Taskeen helpline (0316-8275336) offers free phone support. Our guide to mental health helplines in Pakistan lists other free services, with hours and sources. A helpline is not the same as ongoing therapy, but it can help in a hard moment and point you to services.
• Subsidised online consultations. Sehat Kahani says it offers psychological and psychiatric consultations at subsidised rates, and runs a mental well-being helpline with the British Asian Trust for people who find services hard to afford. It does not publish its fees, so ask.
• Government hospitals. Psychiatry departments at government teaching hospitals are another route. We could not find published outpatient fees for them, so call the hospital or ask at registration before you go.
• Lower listed fees. Some psychologists on the public directories listed video sessions from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,500. Check their qualifications as you would with anyone else.

Does insurance cover therapy in Pakistan?

It depends on your policy, and many people pay out of pocket. If you have health insurance through work or privately, check whether outpatient psychological therapy or psychiatry is covered and whether there is a session limit. If your employer offers a wellbeing benefit, ask HR how it works and how your privacy is protected.

How do fees work on Safe Healing?

On Safe Healing, each therapist sets their own session fee, and you see it before you book. Sessions are one-to-one video calls on Google Meet, in Urdu or English, and each session includes 7 days of follow-up chat with your therapist. Join the waitlist.

If you are in crisis

Cost should never stop you getting help in an emergency. If you are in danger now, call Rescue 1122 (or police on 15), call the free Taskeen helpline on 0316-8275336, or go to the nearest emergency department.

Sources

• Marham: Psychologists in Lahore (accessed 28 October 2026)
• Oladoc: Psychologists in Lahore (accessed 28 October 2026)
• Oladoc: Psychologists in Karachi (accessed 28 October 2026)
• Marham: Psychiatrists in Karachi (accessed 28 October 2026)
• Sehat Kahani: Mental health solution (accessed 28 October 2026)
• Taskeen: free mental health helpline (contact page)