Moving to Pakistan from Japan

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Japan to Pakistan, you would find that Pakistan is 65.5% cheaper than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly PKR7,290,000 in Pakistan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Urdu. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Karachi averages 90°F vs 69°F in Tokyo, making it significantly warmer.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Pakistan cheaper than Japan?

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

Restaurants

pay 52.2% less

Groceries

pay 71.3% less

Transportation

pay 40.2% less

Housing

pay 73.2% less

Childcare

pay 87.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 52.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 JPY = 1.76 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?

¥12,000,000 → PKR7,290,000

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 34% less than cities in Japan.

Japan

Tokyo ★ 43%
Chiba 40%
Kobe 38%
Saitama 36%
Hiroshima 30%

Pakistan

Lahore 19%
Karachi 19%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

JP
0.2
PK
4.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

JP
2.7
PK
11.9

Japan performs better than Pakistan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

JP
$5,365
PK
$152
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

JP
26.5
PK
11.6

Japan 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

JP
12.0
PK
105.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

JP
7.8t
PK
0.8t

Japan 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

JP
38.6
PK
1.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

JP
36.6%
PK
110.0%

Japan 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

JP
2.5%
PK
5.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

JP
$35,951
PK
$1,596

Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Pakistan leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

JP
84.0 yrs
PK
67.8 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

JP
1.8
PK
48.2

Japan performs better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this

Weather in Pakistan vs Japan

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tokyo Rain: 62.9 in/yr (1598 mm)
69° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tokyo Karachi
Jan–Mar 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) 84°/58°F (29°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) 96°/79°F (35°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 91°/80°F (33°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) 90°/63°F (32°/17°C)
View all months
Month Tokyo Karachi
Jan 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) 79°/53°F (26.3°/11.5°C)
Feb 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) 83°/57°F (28.4°/14.0°C)
Mar 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) 90°/65°F (32.2°/18.6°C)
Apr 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) 95°/73°F (34.8°/23.0°C)
May 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) 96°/80°F (35.5°/26.6°C)
Jun 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) 96°/83°F (35.4°/28.3°C)
Jul 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) 92°/82°F (33.3°/27.6°C)
Aug 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) 90°/79°F (32.1°/26.3°C)
Sep 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) 92°/78°F (33.2°/25.7°C)
Oct 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) 96°/71°F (35.5°/21.9°C)
Nov 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) 90°/62°F (32.5°/16.8°C)
Dec 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) 83°/55°F (28.2°/12.7°C)

Data: Japan Meteorological Agency Japan Meteorological Agency

Can you move from Japan to Pakistan?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.

Japan passport

Japan passport holder visiting Pakistan

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

Pakistan passport holder visiting Japan

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

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 Japan?

Yes — Pakistan is on average about 66% cheaper than Japan. 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 PKR1,822,500 in Pakistan on a ¥12,000,000 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?

Japan performs better than Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Pakistan is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan.

How is healthcare in Pakistan compared to Japan?

Japan 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 26.5 in Japan. Pakistan scores 45 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).

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

The average high temperature in Karachi is 90°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Karachi receives around 6.9 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.

What language do they speak in Pakistan?

The official languages in Pakistan are English and Urdu. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.

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At a Glance

JP PK
Population 123,366,734 255,219,554
Currency Japanese Yen (¥) Pakistani Rupee (PKR)
Languages Japanese English, Urdu
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +81 +92
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 110 15