Air compressor price in Pakistan in 2026 runs from about PKR 18,000 for a 24 litre direct drive unit to PKR 150,000 to 280,000 for a 300 litre 5.5 hp twin cylinder machine, and PKR 450,000 upward for a 7.5 kW screw compressor. Portable diesel screw units for breakers start around PKR 2,500,000.
Most buyers search by tank size, because that is what the shops list. Tank size is the least important number on the machine. What matters is how much air it actually delivers, at what pressure, and for how long in a 44 degree June afternoon in Rawalpindi or Multan. This guide gives market prices by class, then the sizing rule we use on our own bench.
How much does an air compressor cost in Pakistan?
Indicative market ranges for new machines in October 2026. Confirm today's price on WhatsApp, rates move with the exchange rate.
| Class | Tank | Motor | Free air delivery (typical) | Indicative market price (PKR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct drive, oil free | 24 to 50 litres | 1.5 to 2 hp, single phase | 4 to 6 CFM | 18,000 to 50,000 |
| Belt drive, twin cylinder | 100 litres | 3 hp, single phase | 8 to 10 CFM | 60,000 to 115,000 |
| Belt drive, twin cylinder | 200 to 250 litres | 3 to 4 hp | 10 to 13 CFM | 95,000 to 180,000 |
| Belt drive, twin or three cylinder | 300 litres | 5.5 hp, three phase | 14 to 18 CFM | 150,000 to 280,000 |
| Two stage industrial piston | 400 to 500 litres | 7.5 to 10 hp, three phase | 22 to 32 CFM | 250,000 to 480,000 |
| Electric screw, Chinese | Separate receiver | 7.5 to 11 kW | 35 to 55 CFM | 450,000 to 950,000 |
| Electric screw, branded | Separate receiver | 15 to 22 kW | 80 to 120 CFM | 1,800,000 to 4,500,000 |
| Portable diesel screw | None | 185 CFM class | 175 to 190 CFM | 2,500,000 to 7,000,000 |
The spread inside each row is brand, pump quality and whether the motor has copper or aluminium windings. Total, Ingco and Daewoo sit at the lower end of the small classes. Italian and Japanese pattern pumps sit higher, and they are the ones still running in year five.
How much does a 50L air compressor cost?
A 50 litre direct drive compressor costs about PKR 25,000 to 50,000 in Pakistan. It is a tyre, nail gun and airbrush machine. The pump is bolted straight to the motor shaft, it runs at 2,800 rpm, and it is loud and hot. Free air delivery is 4 to 6 CFM, which runs a small spray gun for touch up work in short bursts, but not a grinder or a breaker.
Oil free versions are lighter and need no oil change, which makes them right for dental, food and paint work where oil mist is a problem. They also wear faster: the piston rings are a PTFE composite rather than cast iron, and in dust they last a season of daily use.
How much does a 200 or 250 litre air compressor cost?
A 200 to 250 litre twin cylinder belt drive compressor costs about PKR 95,000 to 180,000. This is the workshop standard: a cast iron pump turning at 800 to 1,100 rpm, driven by a belt from a 3 to 4 hp motor, with a bigger flywheel that also acts as the cooling fan.
The slower pump speed is the point. A belt drive pump runs cooler, lasts several times longer than a direct drive one, and can be rebuilt with rings and valves rather than thrown away. Our twin cylinder industrial air compressor is this type, in oil free and belt drive versions for workshops, spraying and pneumatic tools. Conventional air spray guns for car and furniture finishing sit comfortably on this class; we compare those against electric and airless machines in paint spray machine price in Pakistan.
What is the price of a 300, 400 or 500 litre air compressor?
A 300 litre 5.5 hp compressor costs about PKR 150,000 to 280,000, and a 400 to 500 litre two stage unit about PKR 250,000 to 480,000. Above 3 hp, insist on a three phase motor if the site has the supply. A single phase 5.5 hp motor pulls so much current at start that it trips breakers and browns out every other machine on the line.
Two stage pumps compress the air twice, with an intercooler between, and reach 12 bar comfortably. They suit tyre shops for trucks, sandblasting pots and a workshop running several tools at once. A big tank does not add air; it only buffers it. A 500 litre tank on a weak pump simply takes longer to empty and longer to refill.
Piston vs screw air compressor: which one?
A piston compressor is the right buy when air is used in bursts: a tyre bay, a spray booth, a workshop with one or two tools. It is cheap, any mechanic in Pakistan can rebuild it, and spares are in every tool market from Rawalpindi to Karachi.
Its limit is duty cycle. A piston pump should run no more than 50 to 60 percent of each hour so it can cool. In Pakistani summer heat, with an ambient of 42 to 46 degrees, treat that as 40 to 50 percent. Run it flat out and the discharge valves carbonise, the oil thins and the rings go.
A screw compressor uses two meshing rotors in an oil flooded casing, is designed for 100 percent duty, and runs all shift. It is quieter, delivers steadier pressure and uses roughly 15 to 25 percent less electricity per CFM. That matters when a factory pays commercial tariff. The rule we give customers: if the tool runs more than half the day, or you need more than 30 CFM continuously, buy screw. Below that, piston.
For breakers and rock drills on a road or demolition site there is no mains power, so the answer is a portable diesel screw compressor on a trailer.
Sizing an air compressor: CFM plus 25 to 30 percent
Every pneumatic tool has an air consumption figure on its data plate, usually at 6.2 bar (90 PSI). Add up the tools that will run at the same time, then add 25 to 30 percent for hose leaks, couplings, wear and the hot season. That is the free air delivery you need. A few worked examples from our own range:
- Chicago Pneumatic CP1210 breaker: 26.5 litres a second, about 56 CFM. Plus 30 percent is 73 CFM, so a 185 CFM portable runs two breakers with margin.
- Pneumatic bush hammer, 3-head: 8 CFM at 90 PSI. Plus 30 percent is about 10.5 CFM, so a 200 to 300 litre twin cylinder unit, not a 50 litre one.
- Pneumatic horizontal grinders in the 6 to 8 inch class typically draw 30 to 60 CFM depending on model. Ask us for the exact figure for the model you want before choosing the compressor.
Displacement is not delivery
This is the mistake we see most on the bench. Piston compressors are sold on displacement, the volume the pistons sweep. What reaches the tool, free air delivery, is usually 60 to 70 percent of that. A machine advertised at 20 CFM gives 12 to 14.
You can check any compressor in two minutes. Note the tank volume, run the tank down to 6 bar, then time how long it takes to climb to 8 bar. Free air delivered in litres is roughly the tank volume times the pressure rise in bar. A 200 litre tank rising 2 bar takes in about 400 litres of free air; if that took 60 seconds, the pump delivers 400 litres a minute, about 14 CFM. If the seller's figure is double yours, you have your answer.
Heat, dust, voltage and load-shedding
- Heat. Put the compressor in shade with a metre of free air around it. A pump in a closed shed in June loses output and cooks its oil.
- Dust. Clean the intake filter weekly in dry season. A blocked filter cuts delivery by 10 to 20 percent before anyone notices.
- Voltage. On a 180 volt evening supply a single phase motor struggles to start against a full tank. Fit an unloader valve so it starts empty, and keep the supply cable short and thick.
- Generators. A motor draws about three times its running current at start. A 5.5 hp, 4 kW compressor needs a 12 to 15 kVA generator to start cleanly during load-shedding.
- Water. Drain the tank daily. In monsoon humidity a 300 litre tank collects a litre of water a day, and that water goes into the tools.
What we supply
Compressors and the tools they drive sit across three ranges: small machinery, power tools and industrial items.
- Twin cylinder industrial air compressor: oil free and belt drive, for workshops, spraying and pneumatic tools.
- Chicago Pneumatic CP1210 pneumatic breaker: 35 lb class, 1,400 blows a minute, in standard, hushed and vibration dampened versions.
- Pneumatic horizontal grinders: Cleco, Ingersoll Rand and Chicago Pneumatic, 6 to 8 inch.
- Pneumatic bush hammer, 3-head: for scabbling concrete ahead of a coating.
- Mortar spray machine: hopper fed plaster sprayer for big elevations.
Breaking out a slab is often followed by backfill and compaction; we cover those machines in plate compactor price in Pakistan.
Ask for today's price
Prices above are the market and they move with the exchange rate. Send us the tools you will run, how many at once, how many hours a day, and whether the site has three phase power or a generator. We will work out the CFM and recommend a piston or screw machine honestly. Send us a WhatsApp for today's price, with delivery across Pakistan.
What we supply
Equipment covered in this guide
Mortar Spray Machine
Hopper fed plaster and mortar sprayer. One machine replaces a plastering gang on a big elevation.
Airless Paint Spray Machine
High pressure airless units for painting a block or a plant at speed, with tips, hoses and guns.
Twin Cylinder Industrial Air Compressor
Oil free and belt drive compressors for workshops, spraying and pneumatic tools.
FAQ
Questions buyers ask us
What is the price of an air compressor in Pakistan?
In 2026 a 24 to 50 litre direct drive compressor sells for about PKR 18,000 to 50,000, a 100 litre twin cylinder belt drive unit for PKR 60,000 to 115,000, a 300 litre 5.5 hp unit for PKR 150,000 to 280,000 and a 7.5 kW screw compressor from PKR 450,000. These are indicative market ranges.
What is the difference between a piston and a screw air compressor?
A piston compressor pushes air with reciprocating pistons, is cheap and simple, but should run only 50 to 60 percent of each hour. A screw compressor uses two meshing rotors, runs 100 percent duty all day, is quieter and delivers steadier air. Screw costs two to four times as much per CFM.
What size compressor do I need for a pneumatic breaker?
A 20 to 25 kg breaker like the Chicago Pneumatic CP1210 uses 26.5 litres a second, about 56 CFM. Add 25 to 30 percent and you need around 70 to 75 CFM of free air delivery at 6 to 7 bar. That is a portable diesel screw compressor, not a workshop piston unit.
Can I run an air compressor on a generator during load-shedding?
Yes, if the generator is big enough for the starting current. An electric motor draws about three times its running current at start. A 5.5 hp, 4 kW compressor needs a generator of at least 12 to 15 kVA to start cleanly. An undersized generator stalls the motor and burns the windings.
Why does my compressor not keep up with the tool?
Usually because it was bought on displacement, not free air delivery. A piston compressor advertised at 20 CFM displacement delivers 12 to 14 CFM of usable air. Time how long the tank takes to rise from 6 to 8 bar; that gives the real figure in under 2 minutes.
How often should a piston compressor be serviced?
Drain the tank every day, clean the intake filter every week in dry season, and change the oil every 300 to 500 running hours, or every three months on daily site work. Check belt tension monthly. A blocked filter in Pakistani dust cuts output by 10 to 20 percent and overheats the pump.
