Moving to Portugal from Pakistan

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Pakistan to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 5.2 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR20,891,250 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly €191,948 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lisbon averages 69°F vs 84°F in Islamabad, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Pakistan to Portugal.

What does your salary buy?

PKR20,891,250 €191,948

To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 5.0 times more

Groceries

pay 3.0 times more

Transportation

pay 3.1 times more

Housing

pay 7.6 times more

Childcare

pay 12.2 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.4 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PKR = 0.0031 EUR (June 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
6,869 ↑ 72% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Portugal?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

PK
11.9
PT
7.2

Portugal 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
PT
$4,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PK
10.8
PT
57.7

Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal 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
PT
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PK
0.8t
PT
3.3t

Pakistan generally does better on environment, though Portugal 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
PT
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PK
162.1%
PT
12.3%

Portugal 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%
PT
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PK
$5,600
PT
$41,700

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PK
69.7 yrs
PT
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PK
54.0
PT
2.5

Portugal 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

Lisbon Rain: 29.6 in/yr (751 mm)
69° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Islamabad Lisbon
Jan–Mar 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) 61°/48°F (16°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) 71°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) 65°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Islamabad Lisbon
Jan 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C)
Feb 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C)
Mar 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C)
Apr 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C)
May 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C)
Jun 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C)
Jul 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C)
Aug 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C)
Nov 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C)
Dec 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C)

Data: Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Pakistan passport

Pakistan passport holder visiting Portugal

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

Portugal passport holder visiting Pakistan

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

Day-to-day costs in Portugal run about 199% higher than Pakistan on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Portugal?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a PKR20,891,250 comparable salary, that's around €47,987 in Portugal for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Portugal?

With 43.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Portugal 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 Portugal.

Is Portugal safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Pakistan?

Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 10.8 in Pakistan. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).

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

The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.

What language do they speak in Portugal?

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

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At a Glance

PK PT
Population 242,923,845 10,242,081
Currency Pakistani Rupee (PKR) Euro (€)
Languages English, Urdu Portuguese
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +92 +351
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 15 112