Lakh vs Million, Crore vs Billion — Explained Simply
Updated 2026-09-28 · 11 min read
Quick answer
1 lakh = 100,000 = 0.1 million. 1 crore = 10,000,000 = 10 million. 1 arab = 1,000,000,000 = 1 billion. The Indian system (lakh/crore) is used in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka; the International system (million/billion) is used in the US, UK and most of the world.
Full conversion table
| Indian | Value | International | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 thousand | 1,000 | 1 thousand | 1,000 |
| 10 thousand | 10,000 | 10 thousand | 10,000 |
| 1 lakh | 1,00,000 | 100 thousand | 100,000 |
| 10 lakh | 10,00,000 | 1 million | 1,000,000 |
| 1 crore | 1,00,00,000 | 10 million | 10,000,000 |
| 10 crore | 10,00,00,000 | 100 million | 100,000,000 |
| 1 arab | 1,00,00,00,000 | 1 billion | 1,000,000,000 |
| 1 kharab | 1,00,00,00,00,000 | 100 billion | 100,000,000,000 |
Why two systems exist
The Indian system comes from Sanskrit-derived counting (lakh = laksha, crore = koti) and groups digits as 3-then-2s: 1,00,000. The International "short scale" system groups in threes: 1,000,000. Both are correct — they are just different conventions, like metric vs imperial.
Quick mental conversions
- Lakh → million: divide by 10 (25 lakh = 2.5 million).
- Crore → million: multiply by 10 (3 crore = 30 million).
- Million → lakh: multiply by 10 (4 million = 40 lakh).
- Billion → crore: multiply by 100 (2 billion = 200 crore).
Which system should you use?
- Cheques, property, local business (PK/IN): lakh/crore.
- International contracts, research papers: million/billion.
- Speaking locally: lakh/crore — "2.5 million" will confuse most people in Lahore or Delhi.
- Never mix them in one document.
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Frequently asked questions
How many lakhs make a million?
Ten. 1 million = 10,00,000 = 10 lakh.
How many crores make a billion?
One hundred. 1 billion = 100 crore.
Is 1 arab equal to 1 billion?
Yes. 1 arab = 1,00,00,00,000 = 1,000,000,000 = 1 billion.
What is kharab in millions?
1 kharab = 100 arab = 100 billion = 100,000 million.
Do Bangladesh and Nepal use lakh/crore?
Yes — Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka all use the Indian numbering system with lakh and crore.