Moving to Pakistan from New Zealand

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from New Zealand to Pakistan, you would find that Pakistan is 75.9% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly PKR4,920,000 in Pakistan to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Karachi averages 90°F vs 66°F in Auckland, making it significantly warmer.

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Is Pakistan cheaper than New Zealand?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 75.0% less

Groceries

pay 70.9% less

Transportation

pay 52.3% less

Housing

pay 84.8% less

Childcare

pay 92.5% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 62.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 NZD = 156.78 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?

NZ$130,000 → PKR4,920,000

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 49% less than cities in New Zealand.

New Zealand

Tauranga 52%
Auckland 52%
Nelson 48%

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 New Zealand.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

NZ
1.5
PK
4.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NZ
6.6
PK
11.9

New Zealand 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

NZ
$5,576
PK
$152
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NZ
36.1
PK
11.6

Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NZ
6.0t
PK
0.8t

New Zealand 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

NZ
38.0
PK
1.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NZ
8.1%
PK
110.0%

New Zealand 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

NZ
5.1%
PK
5.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

NZ
$49,591
PK
$1,596

New Zealand 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

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

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NZ
4.0
PK
48.2

New Zealand performs better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016), Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Pakistan vs New Zealand

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Auckland Rain: 43.3 in/yr (1101 mm)
66° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Auckland Karachi
Jan–Mar 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) 84°/58°F (29°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) 96°/79°F (35°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) 91°/80°F (33°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) 90°/63°F (32°/17°C)
View all months
Month Auckland Karachi
Jan 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) 79°/53°F (26.3°/11.5°C)
Feb 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) 83°/57°F (28.4°/14.0°C)
Mar 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) 90°/65°F (32.2°/18.6°C)
Apr 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) 95°/73°F (34.8°/23.0°C)
May 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) 96°/80°F (35.5°/26.6°C)
Jun 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) 96°/83°F (35.4°/28.3°C)
Jul 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) 92°/82°F (33.3°/27.6°C)
Aug 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) 90°/79°F (32.1°/26.3°C)
Sep 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) 92°/78°F (33.2°/25.7°C)
Oct 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) 96°/71°F (35.5°/21.9°C)
Nov 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) 90°/62°F (32.5°/16.8°C)
Dec 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) 83°/55°F (28.2°/12.7°C)

Data: New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service

Can you move from New Zealand to Pakistan?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand 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.

New Zealand passport

New Zealand passport holder visiting Pakistan

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

Pakistan passport holder visiting New Zealand

Visa Required
Pakistan passport holders need a visa to enter New Zealand.

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 New Zealand?

On average Pakistan is about 76% less expensive than New Zealand, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Pakistan?

Budget about PKR1,230,000 for 3 months in Pakistan (based on a NZ$130,000 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?

New Zealand performs better than Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Pakistan is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.

How is healthcare in Pakistan compared to New Zealand?

Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 11.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Pakistan, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Pakistan scores 45 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).

What's the weather like in Pakistan compared to New Zealand?

The average high temperature in Karachi is 90°F, compared to 66°F in Auckland. Karachi receives around 6.9 in of rainfall per year, while Auckland gets 43.3 in.

What language do they speak in Pakistan?

The official languages in Pakistan are English and Urdu. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.

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At a Glance

NZ PK
Population 5,324,700 255,219,554
Currency New Zealand Dollar (NZ$) Pakistani Rupee (PKR)
Languages English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language English, Urdu
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +64 +92
Time zones 5 1
Emergency number 111 15