Moving to Pakistan from Iran

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Iran to Pakistan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Iran to Pakistan, you would find that Pakistan is 15.3% cheaper than Iran overall. A IRR100,000,000,000 salary in Iran would need to be roughly PKR17,100,000 in Pakistan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Urdu. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Karachi averages 90°F vs 72°F in Tehran, making it significantly warmer.

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Is Pakistan cheaper than Iran?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 28.4% less

Groceries

pay 4.6% less

Transportation

pay 37.8% more

Housing

pay 38.5% less

Childcare

pay 22.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 73.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IRR = 0.0002 PKR (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Pakistan?

What does your salary buy?

IRR100,000,000,000 → PKR17,100,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Pakistan

Calculate with your salary →

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Pakistan cost about 31% less than cities in Iran.

Iran

Karaj 36%

Pakistan

Lahore 19%
Karachi 19%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Iran to Pakistan, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
2,148 ↓ 7% vs 2015

people born in Iran live in Pakistan · UN DESA

Who's moving to Pakistan?

Top countries of origin for Pakistan's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iran to Pakistan.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IR
2.4
PK
4.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IR
20.6
PK
11.9

Iran generally does better on safety, though Pakistan leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

IR
$1,064
PK
$152
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

IR
18.1
PK
11.6

Iran generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IR
51.0
PK
105.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IR
9.1t
PK
0.8t

Iran generally does better on environment, though Pakistan leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IR
12.1
PK
1.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IR
81.3%
PK
110.0%

Iran performs better than Pakistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IR
8.3%
PK
5.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IR
$3,924
PK
$1,596

Iran generally does better on employment & economy, though Pakistan leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

IR
77.8 yrs
PK
67.8 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IR
10.3
PK
48.2

Iran performs better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.

Weather in Pakistan vs Iran

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tehran Rain: 9.1 in/yr (230 mm)
72° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

Karachi Rain: 6.9 in/yr (176 mm)
90° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tehran Karachi
Jan–Mar 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) 84°/58°F (29°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) 96°/79°F (35°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) 91°/80°F (33°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) 90°/63°F (32°/17°C)
View all months
Month Tehran Karachi
Jan 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) 79°/53°F (26.3°/11.5°C)
Feb 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) 83°/57°F (28.4°/14.0°C)
Mar 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) 90°/65°F (32.2°/18.6°C)
Apr 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) 95°/73°F (34.8°/23.0°C)
May 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) 96°/80°F (35.5°/26.6°C)
Jun 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) 96°/83°F (35.4°/28.3°C)
Jul 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) 92°/82°F (33.3°/27.6°C)
Aug 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) 90°/79°F (32.1°/26.3°C)
Sep 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) 92°/78°F (33.2°/25.7°C)
Oct 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 96°/71°F (35.5°/21.9°C)
Nov 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) 90°/62°F (32.5°/16.8°C)
Dec 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) 83°/55°F (28.2°/12.7°C)

Data:

Can you move from Iran to Pakistan?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iran and Pakistan. To live, work, or study long-term in Pakistan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Pakistan's immigration authority.

Iran passport

Iran passport holder visiting Pakistan

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Iran passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Pakistan.
Pakistan passport

Pakistan passport holder visiting Iran

Visa Required
Pakistan passport holders need a visa to enter Iran.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Pakistan than Iran?

Yes — Pakistan is on average about 15% cheaper than Iran. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Pakistan?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly PKR4,275,000 in Pakistan on a IRR100,000,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Pakistan?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Pakistan has 1.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Pakistan safe for expats?

Iran generally does better on safety, though Pakistan leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Pakistan is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.4 in Iran.

How is healthcare in Pakistan compared to Iran?

Iran generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 11.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Pakistan, compared to 18.1 in Iran. Pakistan scores 45 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iran: 74).

What's the weather like in Pakistan compared to Iran?

The average high temperature in Karachi is 90°F, compared to 72°F in Tehran. Karachi receives around 6.9 in of rainfall per year, while Tehran gets 9.1 in.

What language do they speak in Pakistan?

The official languages in Pakistan are English and Urdu. In Iran, the official language is Persian (Farsi).

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At a Glance

IR PK
Population 92,417,681 255,219,554
Currency Iranian Rial (IRR) Pakistani Rupee (PKR)
Languages Persian (Farsi) English, Urdu
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +98 +92
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 115 15