What Are Security Guard Charges in Lahore, Pakistan?
Monthly Costs and Pricing Factors
Security guard charges in Lahore depend on the type of assignment, the hours of coverage, the number of guarding posts, and the personnel required. A business-hours reception post, an armed overnight assignment, and continuous warehouse security require different budgets.
Before comparing prices, establish what the quotation covers. A monthly charge could refer to one employee, one daily shift, or a fully staffed post with replacement cover. Those arrangements are not interchangeable.
This guide explains the costs to consider, how requirements differ between properties, and how to compare quotations on equal terms.
How Much Does a Security Guard Cost in Lahore?
An accurate price requires a defined assignment. At minimum, a quotation should specify:
- Armed or unarmed personnel.
- The number of guards required at the same time.
- Daily coverage hours and days per month.
- Arrangements for weekly rest, leave, and absences.
- Equipment, supervision, transport, and applicable taxes.
A useful starting point is the labour cost behind the service. Punjab’s September 2025 minimum-wage notification set the monthly minimum for unskilled workers at PKR 40,000, effective from 1 July 2025. This is a dated wage benchmark, not a security company’s selling price or a confirmed current rate for every guard category.
Source: Punjab Govt. Notification, hosted by Employers’ Federation of Pakistan
For a new contract, check the latest applicable notification and occupational classification. A historical wage figure should not be used as a current, all-inclusive guarding quotation.
Security Guard Salary vs Security Company Charges
A guard’s salary is one component of the customer’s bill.
Depending on the agreement, a company’s charge may also cover recruitment, training, uniforms, supervision, replacement personnel, administration, equipment, employer obligations, and its operating margin.
Punjab’s Minimum Wages Act expressly includes private security agencies within its definition of commercial establishments. The Act also distinguishes wages from certain employer contributions and expense payments. This helps explain why a wage figure and a complete service invoice are different amounts
Source: Punjab Minimum Wages Act 2019, hosted by the Center for Labour Research
Ask the provider to explain how the quoted charge supports the promised coverage, particularly when relief staff and continuous attendance are included.
Security Charges by Service Type
Different assignments should be priced against their actual responsibilities.
Security type | What the quotation should specify | Factors affecting the budget |
|---|---|---|
Unarmed guarding | Access control, visitor records, observation, and reporting duties | Working hours, number of entrances, patrol duties, and supervision |
Armed guarding | Assigned post, personnel requirements, equipment, and responsibilities | Relevant training, authorized equipment, supervision, and assignment conditions |
Personal bodyguard or close protection | Protection responsibilities, schedule, travel, and team requirements | Movement between locations, duration, transport, and specialist experience |
Event or wedding security | Staffing positions, attendance hours, entrances, and guest-management duties | Venue layout, attendance, screening requirements, and event overruns |
Temporary guarding | Start and finish dates, daily hours, and handover arrangements | Deployment duration, mobilization, equipment, and transport |
Unarmed Security Guard Costs
For an unarmed assignment, define the work before requesting a monthly rate. A guard stationed at an office reception has different responsibilities from someone managing vehicle access and patrolling a large property.
Specify whether the assignment includes visitor registration, delivery checks, patrol rounds, or monitoring a CCTV display. If several duties must happen simultaneously, one person may not provide the required coverage.
Armed Security Guard Costs
An armed guarding quotation should identify the personnel, equipment, supervision, and assignment conditions included in the price.
Do not assume that every armed assignment carries the same premium over unarmed guarding. Ask for both options against the same hours and duties, where both are suitable.
The decision should follow the property’s assessed requirements. Price alone does not establish whether armed deployment is appropriate.
Bodyguard and Close-Protection Costs
Personal protection requires a separate quotation from premises guarding. State whether the assignment involves staying at one location, accompanying an individual, travelling between cities, or attending public events.
Clarify whether transport, travel time, accommodation, and additional personnel are included. A daily fee without a defined schedule can leave important costs unresolved.
Event and Wedding Security Charges
For events, request a price for the complete deployment period, including briefing, guest arrival, the event itself, and departure.
Confirm how additional hours are charged if the programme runs late. The quotation should also distinguish entrance staffing, screening, parking coordination, and supervisory responsibilities.
Monthly, Daily, and 24-Hour Guarding Costs
The most useful unit for planning is a staffed guarding post: a position that must remain occupied during specified hours.
One entrance requiring continuous attendance represents one post. It does not mean one individual can cover every hour.
Monthly Security Contracts
A monthly quotation should state the daily service window and the number of covered days. “One guard per month” is too vague to establish whether Sundays, holidays, or absences are covered.
Ask whether the price includes replacement personnel and how the provider handles missed attendance.
Daily and Temporary Assignments
A one-day rate should specify the length of the deployment. An eight-hour assignment and an event lasting into the following morning should not be compared as equivalent “daily” services.
Also confirm mobilisation charges, cancellation terms, and the rate for extra time.
Overnight and 24-Hour Coverage
Overnight guarding covers an agreed nighttime period. Continuous security covers the full day and requires a staffing and relief plan.
For budgeting, calculate the coverage first:
Example requirement | Calculation | Required coverage |
|---|---|---|
One office post, eight hours daily for 26 days | 1 × 8 × 26 | 208 post-hours |
One overnight post, 12 hours daily for 30 days | 1 × 12 × 30 | 360 post-hours |
One continuously staffed post for 30 days | 1 × 24 × 30 | 720 post-hours |
Two continuously staffed posts for 30 days | 2 × 24 × 30 | 1,440 post-hours |
Security Costs by Industry and Property Type in Lahore
An industry name alone does not determine the charge. The important differences are operating hours, access points, staffing positions, and assigned duties.
Property or industry | Requirements to describe | Main budget considerations |
|---|---|---|
Houses and private residences | Entrance coverage, visitor handling, and overnight attendance | Coverage hours, armed or unarmed assignment, replacement cover |
Housing societies and apartments | Vehicle gates, pedestrian access, visitor records, and patrols | Simultaneous posts, shift coverage, patrol staffing, supervision |
Offices and commercial buildings | Reception, staff access, deliveries, and after-hours coverage | Opening hours, entrances, weekends, separate reception and patrol duties |
Factories and warehouses | Vehicle movement, loading areas, perimeter checks, and gate records | Operating shifts, site size, multiple posts, communication equipment |
Shops and showrooms | Customer entrance, opening and closing periods, delivery access | Trading hours, entrances, peak periods, assigned responsibilities |
Construction sites | Material access, contractor movement, and unattended periods | Changing site layout, temporary entrances, overnight coverage |
Schools and colleges | Arrival and dismissal, visitor entry, and events | Peak-time staffing, access points, term-time and holiday requirements |
Hospitals and clinics | Public entrances, restricted access, and visitor flow | Continuous operations, multiple departments, supervision |
Hotels and event venues | Guest entrances, deliveries, functions, and parking areas | Occupancy patterns, overlapping events, temporary additional staffing |
For example, a warehouse with separate vehicle and pedestrian entrances may need two simultaneous posts. A small office using one controlled entrance may have a simpler arrangement, even if both request “one security service contract.”
What Should Be Included in a Security Quotation?
Request a written breakdown before comparing the final amounts.
Item | What to confirm |
|---|---|
Personnel and posts | Number of people on duty simultaneously and where they will be stationed |
Coverage | Exact daily hours, covered days, and holiday arrangements |
Relief and replacement | Responsibility for breaks, rest days, leave, and unexpected absence |
Supervision | Site visits, attendance checks, reporting, and escalation contact |
Equipment | Uniforms, radios, torches, registers, and assignment-specific equipment |
Transport | Whether travel or site transport is included |
Additional time | How extensions, extra shifts, or event overruns are charged |
Taxes | Whether the stated amount includes applicable taxes |
Payment terms | Deposit, billing cycle, payment deadline, and cancellation conditions |
Price revisions | When charges can change and what triggers a revision |
A lower headline price may exclude items another provider has included. Compare the complete scope before deciding which offer costs less.
How to Build a Security Budget
Start with the service requirement, then apply the provider’s quoted charges.
Monthly budget = agreed coverage charge + separately quoted extras + applicable taxes
Avoid adding an item twice if it is already included in the coverage charge.
Example: Overnight Home Security
Define the entrance to be covered, the nightly start and finish time, and whether attendance is required every night.
Request a monthly price that explicitly addresses rest-day cover and absences. If you want armed and unarmed alternatives, ask for separate quotations using identical hours.
Example: Business-Hours Office Security
List opening hours, working days, visitor duties, and any regular late closing.
Ask whether occasional additional hours are billed separately. This makes it easier to compare a business-hours contract with a longer daily coverage arrangement.
Example: Continuous Warehouse Security
Identify each position that needs continuous attendance: for example, a main gate and a separate dispatch entrance.
Two posts operating around the clock require 1,440 post-hours in a 30-day month. Request a staffing plan for that coverage, together with any separate patrol or supervisory requirements.
The total staffing requirement cannot be established simply by counting entrances and assigning one employee to each.
How to Compare Security Guard Quotations
Send every provider the same brief. Include your Lahore location, property type, coverage hours, number of posts, duties, and intended contract duration.
Then compare:
- Coverage: Are the same hours and days included?
- Staffing: Does each quote provide the same number of personnel on duty?
- Continuity: Who covers absence, leave, and rest periods?
- Scope: Are equipment, supervision, and reporting comparable?
- Total payment: What remains after adding excluded charges and taxes?
You can also calculate:
Effective cost per covered post-hour = comparable total charge ÷ covered post-hours
Use this only when the service requirements are equivalent. An hourly calculation does not measure training, suitability, or service quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the monthly security guard charges in Lahore?
The amount depends on the daily coverage period, service type, number of posts, relief arrangements, and included costs. Request a written monthly quotation against a defined schedule; a salary figure alone does not establish the service price.
Does a monthly security contract include 24-hour coverage?
Only if the agreement explicitly includes it. A single daily shift and a continuously staffed post represent different amounts of coverage.
Are armed guards more expensive than unarmed guards?
Armed assignments can involve additional personnel, equipment, and supervision requirements. Ask for comparable quotations rather than assuming a fixed price difference.
Can I hire security for one day?
Ask about short-term availability and minimum deployment periods. Confirm the included hours, transport arrangements, and charges if the assignment runs longer than planned.
Does an ex-army background determine the rate?
It may be one consideration, but it does not define the entire assignment. Relevant experience, current capability, responsibilities, and working hours should also be specified.
Is replacement cover included in the price?
That depends on the contract. Have the provider confirm who supplies a replacement, how quickly they respond, and whether additional charges apply.
