Moving to Austria from Pakistan

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Pakistan to Austria — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Pakistan to Austria, you would find that Austria is 4.7 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR21,000,000 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly €317,000 in Austria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Vienna averages 58°F vs 90°F in Karachi, making it significantly cooler.

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

Is Austria cheaper than Pakistan?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 5.7 times more

Groceries

pay 4.1 times more

Transportation

pay 2.2 times more

Housing

pay 7.4 times more

Childcare

pay 11.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.8 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PKR = 0.0032 EUR (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 Austria?

What does your salary buy?

PKR21,000,000 → €317,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Austria

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 Austria cost about 125% more than cities in Pakistan.

Pakistan

Lahore 19%
Karachi 19%

Austria

Dornbirn 56%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Austria

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Pakistan to Austria, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
1,056 ↑ 44% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Austria?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Pakistan and Austria stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

PK
4.3
AT
0.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PK
11.9
AT
4.6

Austria performs significantly better than Pakistan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PK
$152
AT
$8,250
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

PK
11.6
AT
55.1

Austria 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

PK
105.0
AT
17.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PK
0.8t
AT
6.3t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PK
1.5
AT
30.1
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PK
110.0%
AT
8.7%

Austria performs significantly better than Pakistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

PK
5.4%
AT
5.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

PK
$1,596
AT
$62,930

Pakistan generally does better on employment & economy, though Austria leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

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

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PK
48.2
AT
2.8

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

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

Weather in Austria vs Pakistan

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Vienna Rain: 24.4 in/yr (620 mm)
58° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Karachi Vienna
Jan–Mar 84°/58°F (29°/15°C) 43°/31°F (6°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 96°/79°F (35°/26°C) 67°/50°F (20°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 91°/80°F (33°/27°C) 75°/58°F (24°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/63°F (32°/17°C) 48°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Karachi Vienna
Jan 79°/53°F (26.3°/11.5°C) 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C)
Feb 83°/57°F (28.4°/14.0°C) 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C)
Mar 90°/65°F (32.2°/18.6°C) 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C)
Apr 95°/73°F (34.8°/23.0°C) 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C)
May 96°/80°F (35.5°/26.6°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Jun 96°/83°F (35.4°/28.3°C) 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C)
Jul 92°/82°F (33.3°/27.6°C) 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C)
Aug 90°/79°F (32.1°/26.3°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C)
Sep 92°/78°F (33.2°/25.7°C) 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C)
Oct 96°/71°F (35.5°/21.9°C) 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C)
Nov 90°/62°F (32.5°/16.8°C) 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C)
Dec 83°/55°F (28.2°/12.7°C) 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C)

Data: GeoSphere Austria GeoSphere Austria

Can you move from Pakistan to Austria?

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

Pakistan passport

Pakistan passport holder visiting Austria

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

Austria passport holder visiting Pakistan

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Austria 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 Austria than Pakistan?

Day-to-day costs in Austria run about 371% higher than Pakistan on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Austria?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a PKR21,000,000 comparable salary, that's around €79,250 in Austria for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Austria?

With 30.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Austria can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Pakistan and Austria.

Is Austria safe for expats?

Austria performs significantly better than Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Austria is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.3 in Pakistan.

How is healthcare in Austria compared to Pakistan?

Austria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 55.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Austria, compared to 11.6 in Pakistan. Austria scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).

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

The average high temperature in Vienna is 58°F, compared to 90°F in Karachi. Vienna receives around 24.4 in of rainfall per year, while Karachi gets 6.9 in.

What language do they speak in Austria?

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

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At a Glance

PK AT
Population 255,219,554 9,208,163
Currency Pakistani Rupee (PKR) Euro (€)
Languages English, Urdu German
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +92 +43
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 15 112