Moving to Pakistan from Netherlands

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Netherlands to Pakistan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Netherlands to Pakistan, you would find that Pakistan is 81.9% cheaper than Netherlands overall. A €67,000 salary in Netherlands would need to be roughly PKR3,750,000 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 56°F in Amsterdam, making it significantly warmer.

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Is Pakistan cheaper than Netherlands?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 84.6% less

Groceries

pay 72.4% less

Transportation

pay 66.8% less

Housing

pay 89.7% less

Childcare

pay 94.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 66.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 309.45 PKR (November 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?

€67,000 → PKR3,750,000

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 62% less than cities in Netherlands.

Netherlands

Rotterdam 68%
Arnhem 63%

Pakistan

Lahore 19%
Karachi 19%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Pakistan compared to Netherlands.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

NL
0.7
PK
4.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NL
3.4
PK
11.9

Netherlands performs better than Pakistan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

NL
$8,195
PK
$152
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NL
38.8
PK
11.6

Netherlands 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

NL
13.0
PK
105.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NL
6.6t
PK
0.8t

Netherlands 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

NL
43.0
PK
1.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NL
16.7%
PK
110.0%

Netherlands 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

NL
3.9%
PK
5.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

NL
$73,684
PK
$1,596

Netherlands 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

NL
82.0 yrs
PK
67.8 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NL
3.4
PK
48.2

Netherlands performs better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst (2016), Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Pakistan vs Netherlands

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Amsterdam Rain: 30.7 in/yr (780 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Amsterdam Karachi
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 84°/58°F (29°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 96°/79°F (35°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) 91°/80°F (33°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 90°/63°F (32°/17°C)
View all months
Month Amsterdam Karachi
Jan 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) 79°/53°F (26.3°/11.5°C)
Feb 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) 83°/57°F (28.4°/14.0°C)
Mar 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) 90°/65°F (32.2°/18.6°C)
Apr 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) 95°/73°F (34.8°/23.0°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) 96°/80°F (35.5°/26.6°C)
Jun 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) 96°/83°F (35.4°/28.3°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) 92°/82°F (33.3°/27.6°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) 90°/79°F (32.1°/26.3°C)
Sep 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) 92°/78°F (33.2°/25.7°C)
Oct 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) 96°/71°F (35.5°/21.9°C)
Nov 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) 90°/62°F (32.5°/16.8°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 83°/55°F (28.2°/12.7°C)

Data: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Can you move from Netherlands to Pakistan?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands 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.

Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Pakistan

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

Pakistan passport holder visiting Netherlands

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

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 Netherlands?

On average Pakistan is about 82% less expensive than Netherlands, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Pakistan?

Budget about PKR937,500 for 3 months in Pakistan (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Pakistan?

Connectivity is usually fine (Pakistan: 1.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Pakistan offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Pakistan safe for expats?

Netherlands performs better than Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Pakistan is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Netherlands.

How is healthcare in Pakistan compared to Netherlands?

Netherlands 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 38.8 in Netherlands. Pakistan scores 45 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Karachi is 90°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Karachi receives around 6.9 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.

What language do they speak in Pakistan?

The official languages in Pakistan are English and Urdu. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.

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At a Glance

NL PK
Population 18,087,633 255,219,554
Currency Euro (€) Pakistani Rupee (PKR)
Languages Dutch English, Urdu
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +31 +92
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 15