Moving to New York from Pakistan
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Pakistan to New York — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Pakistan to New York, you would find that New York is 11.2 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR20,821,704 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly $287,265 in New York to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Albany averages 58°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 New York.
What does your salary buy?
PKR20,821,704 → $287,265
To maintain the same standard of living in New York
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 6.9 times more
Groceries
pay 5.7 times more
Transportation
pay 5.3 times more
Housing
pay 14.7 times more
Childcare
pay 38.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.6 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 New York cost about 283% more than cities in Pakistan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Pakistan to New York, 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 New York.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Pakistan performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
New York 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
New York performs significantly better than Pakistan across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
New York 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 | Albany |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) | 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) | 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) | 78°/58°F (26°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Islamabad | Albany |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) | 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) |
| Feb | 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) | 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) | 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) |
| Apr | 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) | 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) |
| May | 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) | 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) |
| Jun | 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) |
| Jul | 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) | 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) |
| Sep | 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) | 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) |
| Oct | 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) | 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) |
| Nov | 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) |
| Dec | 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) | 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°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 New York than Pakistan?
No — New York is on average about 283% more expensive than Pakistan. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to New York?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $71,816 in New York on a PKR20,821,704 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from New York?
Usually fine from major cities in New York. 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 New York compared to Pakistan?
Pakistan performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in New York compared to Pakistan?
The average high temperature in Albany is 58°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. Albany receives around 39.4 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.
What language do they speak in New York?
The official language in New York is English. In Pakistan, the official languages are English and Urdu.
