Moving to Australia from Pakistan

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Pakistan to Australia, you would find that Australia is 9.0 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR20,869,801 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly A$371,845 in Australia to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Canberra averages 67°F vs 84°F in Islamabad, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Pakistan to Australia.

What does your salary buy?

PKR20,869,801 A$371,845

To maintain the same standard of living in Australia

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 6.9 times more

Groceries

pay 4.3 times more

Transportation

pay 4.9 times more

Housing

pay 9.5 times more

Childcare

pay 29.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 5.7 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PKR = 0.0052 AUD (July 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.

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 Australia cost about 208% more than cities in Pakistan.

Pakistan

Karachi 18%
Lahore 18%

Australia

Sydney 64%
Melbourne 60%
Perth 57%
Brisbane 57%
Adelaide 55%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
7,521 ↑ 37% vs 2022

people moved from Pakistan to Australia · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Australia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PK
4.2
AU
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PK
11.9
AU
4.5

Australia performs significantly better than Pakistan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

PK
$152
AU
$7,691
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PK
10.8
AU
39.8

Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia 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

PK
105.0
AU
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PK
0.8t
AU
14.1t

Pakistan generally does better on environment, though Australia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PK
1.3
AU
35.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PK
162.1%
AU
4.6%

Australia performs significantly better than Pakistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PK
5.5%
AU
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PK
$5,600
AU
$59,500

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PK
69.7 yrs
AU
83.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PK
54.0
AU
3.0

Australia performs significantly better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.

Data: Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Islamabad Rain: 49.1 in/yr (1247 mm)
84° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

Canberra Rain: 24.8 in/yr (629 mm)
67° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Islamabad Canberra
Jan–Mar 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) 80°/54°F (26°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) 61°/39°F (16°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) 56°/35°F (13°/1°C)
Oct–Dec 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) 73°/47°F (23°/9°C)
View all months
Month Islamabad Canberra
Jan 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C)
Feb 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C)
Mar 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C)
Apr 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C)
May 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C)
Jun 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)
Jul 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C)
Aug 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C)
Sep 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C)
Oct 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C)
Nov 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C)
Dec 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C)

Data: Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Pakistan passport

Pakistan passport holder visiting Australia

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

Australia passport holder visiting Pakistan

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

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 Australia than Pakistan?

No — Australia is on average about 245% more expensive than Pakistan. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Australia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly A$92,961 in Australia on a PKR20,869,801 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Australia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Australia has 35.1 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 Australia safe for expats?

Australia performs significantly better than Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.2 in Pakistan.

How is healthcare in Australia compared to Pakistan?

Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 39.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Australia, compared to 10.8 in Pakistan. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).

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

The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.

What language do they speak in Australia?

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

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At a Glance

PK AU
Population 242,923,845 26,141,369
Currency Pakistani Rupee (PKR) Australian Dollar (A$)
Languages English, Urdu English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +92 +61
Time zones 1 8
Emergency number 15 000