Moving to Spain from Pakistan

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Pakistan to Spain — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Pakistan to Spain, you would find that Spain is 5.1 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR20,869,801 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly €203,472 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Madrid averages 68°F vs 84°F in Islamabad, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Pakistan to Spain.

What does your salary buy?

PKR20,869,801 €203,472

To maintain the same standard of living in Spain

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 6.2 times more

Groceries

pay 3.3 times more

Transportation

pay 3.2 times more

Housing

pay 7.2 times more

Childcare

pay 10.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.6 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 Spain cost about 179% 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 Spain, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
18,175 ↑ 9% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Spain?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Pakistan to Spain.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PK
4.2
ES
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PK
11.9
ES
3.5

Spain performs significantly better than Pakistan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

PK
$152
ES
$4,935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PK
10.8
ES
44.8

Spain 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
ES
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PK
0.8t
ES
4.5t

Pakistan generally does better on environment, though Spain 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
ES
36.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PK
162.1%
ES
43.2%

Spain 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%
ES
12.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PK
$5,600
ES
$46,400

Pakistan generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain 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
ES
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PK
54.0
ES
2.5

Spain 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

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Islamabad Madrid
Jan–Mar 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) 55°/40°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) 73°/53°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) 86°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) 58°/44°F (14°/7°C)
View all months
Month Islamabad Madrid
Jan 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C)
Feb 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C)
Mar 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C)
Apr 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C)
May 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C)
Jun 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C)
Jul 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C)
Aug 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C)
Sep 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C)
Oct 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C)
Nov 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C)
Dec 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C)

Data: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Pakistan passport

Pakistan passport holder visiting Spain

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

Spain passport holder visiting Pakistan

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

No — Spain is on average about 210% more expensive than Pakistan. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Spain?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €50,868 in Spain on a PKR20,869,801 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Spain?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Spain has 36.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Spain safe for expats?

Spain performs significantly better than Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.2 in Pakistan.

How is healthcare in Spain compared to Pakistan?

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 10.8 in Pakistan. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).

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

The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.

What language do they speak in Spain?

The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Pakistan, the official languages are English and Urdu.

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At a Glance

PK ES
Population 242,923,845 47,163,418
Currency Pakistani Rupee (PKR) Euro (€)
Languages English, Urdu Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +92 +34
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 15 112