Cheapest Way to Call Pakistan from the UK
Every option compared honestly — access numbers, WhatsApp, VoIP apps and eSIMs. The right answer depends on your situation, so we cover all of them.
All Your Options at a Glance
There is no single best way to call Pakistan from the UK — it depends on whether both ends have internet, whether you're on a landline or mobile, and how often you call. Here is an honest comparison of every option.
| Method | Typical Cost | Needs Internet | Best For | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Free | Both ends | Regular callers with WiFi on both sides | Best if both online |
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Coming soon | No | UK landline callers, elderly relatives with no smartphone | 🔔 Notify me |
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~1–3p/min | UK end only | UK mobile callers, no app needed on other end | Best for UK mobiles |
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Free / low | Both ends | If your contact already uses the same app | Good if app matches |
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From £3 | For data calls | Travelling to Pakistan | Travel only |
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Standard UK Mobile
EE / O2 / Vodafone — international direct dial
|
50p–£1.50/min | No | Emergency calls only | Avoid — very expensive |
💡 The most important caveat on WhatsApp: it is genuinely free — but only works if the person you are calling also has a good internet connection. For calling elderly relatives or anyone without reliable WiFi or data, you need a paid option.
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Calling from Your UK Mobile
Your standard mobile network will charge 50p–£1.50 per minute for international calls to Pakistan. Here are the two options that actually make sense.
Rebtel
The key advantage over WhatsApp: the person you're calling doesn't need a smartphone, internet connection, or any app. Rebtel routes your call over the internet on your end but delivers it as a normal phone call at the Pakistan end. Rates from around 1–3p per minute.
WhatsApp (Free — with a caveat)
Completely free if the person you're calling has WhatsApp and a reliable internet connection. That caveat matters — if they have unreliable WiFi or data, call quality suffers. Best for regular calls to people you know are online.
Used Skype to call Pakistan?
Microsoft shut Skype down in May 2025. The best direct replacement for calling Pakistan landlines and mobiles is Rebtel — same principle, no account needed. For free app-to-app calls, WhatsApp is the natural replacement.
Also Need to Send Money to Pakistan?
Many people calling Pakistan from the UK also send money home regularly. Your high street bank is typically the worst way to do it — most add a hidden margin of 3–5% on top of the exchange rate before charging a transfer fee. These two services are consistently cheaper.
Wise
Uses the real mid-market exchange rate — the same one you see on Google — with a small transparent fee shown upfront before you send. No hidden margin buried in the exchange rate. Used by over 16 million people worldwide.
Remitly
Built specifically for diaspora remittances — very popular for UK–Pakistan transfers. Competitive exchange rates with an on-time delivery guarantee: if your transfer is late, they refund the fee. Supports bank deposit, cash pickup and mobile wallet.
💡 Compare both before sending — rates shift daily. The cheapest for your amount this week may differ from last week.
Travelling to Pakistan? Avoid Roaming Charges
If you're visiting Pakistan, your UK SIM will cost you significantly more than you expect. EE charges up to £8.45 per day for data outside Europe — which adds up to over £59 on a week's trip just for mobile internet. An eSIM costs a fraction of that and activates before you board.
Airalo
Best for most travellers. Buy a data plan before you leave, scan a QR code, and you have local data rates the moment you land in Pakistan. No physical SIM swap, no queues at the airport. Plans start from around £3.
Holafly
Better for longer stays or heavy data users. Unlimited data plans mean you never worry about running out — useful if you're making lots of WhatsApp video calls home, using Google Maps constantly, or working remotely during your trip.
ℹ️ eSIMs are data-only — calls and texts still go through apps like WhatsApp. Your UK number stays active on your phone's physical SIM alongside the eSIM.
How to Dial Pakistan from the UK
📞 Dialling format
Dial 0092 + area code + local number for landlines. For mobiles dial 0092 + the 10-digit number. Remove any leading zero. Example: Lahore landline 0092 42 + 7-digit number; mobile 0092 300 + 7-digit number.
🕐 Time difference explained
Pakistan Standard Time is UTC+5 and does not observe daylight saving. During UK BST (March–October) the gap narrows to 4 hours.
Dialling code for Pakistan
The dialling code for Pakistan is +92.
When calling Pakistan from the UK you must dial 0092 followed by the Pakistan number in full.
When using our service to make cheap calls to Pakistan, you need to:
- Dial the access number
- When you hear the voice prompt, dial the Pakistan number starting with 0092
- When you have finished inputting the number, wait to be connected.
That’s it….easy!
Best time to call Pakistan from UK
The time in Pakistan is 5 hours ahead the time in the UK (GMT +5). On that basis the best time to call Pakistan is 8am until 4pm UK time. The whole of Pakistan is covered by a single time zone so you don’t need to worry about which part of Pakistan you are calling.
Pakistan Area Codes
| Area | Pakistan dialing codes from UK |
| Faisalabad | 0092 41 |
| Gujranwala | 0092 431 |
| Hyderabad | 0092 221 |
| Islamabad | 0092 51 |
| Karachi | 0092 21 |
| Lahore | 0092 42 |
| Multan | 0092 61 |
| Okara | 0092 442 |
| Peshawar | 0092 91 |
| Quetta | 0092 81 |
| Rawalpindi | 0092 51 |
| Sahiwal | 0092 441 |
| Sargodha | 0092 451 |
| Sialkot | 0092 524 |
