Moving to California from Pakistan
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Pakistan to California — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Pakistan to California, you would find that California is 11.6 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR20,834,654 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly $312,292 in California to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Sacramento averages 74°F vs 84°F in Islamabad, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Pakistan to California.
What does your salary buy?
PKR20,834,654 → $312,292
To maintain the same standard of living in California
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 7.7 times more
Groceries
pay 5.7 times more
Transportation
pay 4.3 times more
Housing
pay 18.6 times more
Childcare
pay 37.7 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.5 times more
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 California cost about 349% more than cities in Pakistan.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to California
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Pakistan to California, based on official data.
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
23.408,412
Pakistan
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Pakistan to California.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Pakistan performs better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs significantly better than Pakistan across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California performs significantly better than Pakistan across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs significantly better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Islamabad | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Islamabad | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) |
| Apr | 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) |
| May | 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) |
| Jun | 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) |
| Jul | 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) |
| Aug | 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) |
| Sep | 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) |
| Oct | 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) |
| Nov | 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) |
| Dec | 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Pakistan and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Pakistan passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Pakistan
Visa Online (e-Visa)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 California than Pakistan?
No — California is on average about 316% more expensive than Pakistan. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to California?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $78,073 in California on a PKR20,834,654 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from California?
Usually fine from major cities in California. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in California compared to Pakistan?
Pakistan performs better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in California compared to Pakistan?
The average high temperature in Sacramento is 74°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. Sacramento receives around 18.5 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.
What language do they speak in California?
The official language in California is English. In Pakistan, the official languages are English and Urdu.
