Moving to Netherlands from Pakistan

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Pakistan to Netherlands, you would find that Netherlands is 10.6 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR20,828,685 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly €267,983 in Netherlands to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Amsterdam averages 56°F vs 84°F in Islamabad, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Pakistan and Netherlands.

What does your salary buy?

PKR20,828,685 €267,983

To maintain the same standard of living in Netherlands

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 9.1 times more

Groceries

pay 4.2 times more

Transportation

pay 6.4 times more

Housing

pay 11.7 times more

Childcare

pay 34.9 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.2 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PKR = 0.0031 EUR (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 Netherlands cost about 269% more than cities in Pakistan.

Pakistan

Karachi 18%
Lahore 18%

Netherlands

Rotterdam 72%
Eindhoven 67%
Zwolle 62%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Pakistan to Netherlands.

Moved in 2023
1,929 ↑ 14% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Netherlands?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Netherlands compared to Pakistan.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

PK
11.9
NL
3.4

Netherlands 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
NL
$8,195
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PK
10.8
NL
39.1

Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands 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
NL
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PK
0.8t
NL
6.6t

Pakistan generally does better on environment, though Netherlands 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
NL
44.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PK
162.1%
NL
16.1%

Netherlands 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%
NL
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PK
$5,600
NL
$69,300

Netherlands 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
NL
82.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PK
54.0
NL
3.4

Netherlands 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

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Islamabad Amsterdam
Jan–Mar 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) 69°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Islamabad Amsterdam
Jan 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C)
Feb 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C)
Mar 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C)
Apr 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C)
May 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C)
Jun 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C)
Jul 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C)
Aug 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C)
Sep 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C)
Oct 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C)
Dec 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Pakistan passport

Pakistan passport holder visiting Netherlands

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

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 Netherlands than Pakistan?

On average Netherlands is around 309% pricier than Pakistan, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Netherlands?

Budget about €66,996 for 3 months in Netherlands (based on a PKR20,828,685 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Netherlands?

Connectivity is usually fine (Netherlands: 44.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Netherlands offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Netherlands safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Netherlands compared to Pakistan?

Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Netherlands leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Netherlands, compared to 10.8 in Pakistan. Netherlands scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).

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

The average high temperature in Amsterdam is 56°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. Amsterdam receives around 30.7 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.

What language do they speak in Netherlands?

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

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At a Glance

PK NL
Population 242,923,845 17,400,824
Currency Pakistani Rupee (PKR) Euro (€)
Languages English, Urdu Dutch
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +92 +31
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 15 112