Moving to United Kingdom from Pakistan
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Pakistan to United Kingdom — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Pakistan to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 5.2 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR21,000,000 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly £297,000 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — London averages 60°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 United Kingdom.
What does your salary buy?
PKR21,000,000 → £297,000
To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 5.3 times more
Groceries
pay 3.1 times more
Transportation
pay 2.7 times more
Housing
pay 9.2 times more
Childcare
pay 23.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.3 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 United Kingdom cost about 175% 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 United Kingdom, based on official data.
people moved from Pakistan to United Kingdom · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Pakistan to United Kingdom.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom performs significantly better than Pakistan across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Pakistan generally does better on environment, though United Kingdom leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
United Kingdom 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
United Kingdom generally does better on employment & economy, though Pakistan leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
United Kingdom performs significantly better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan (2016), HM Revenue & Customs (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Islamabad | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Islamabad | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) |
| Apr | 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) |
| May | 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Jul | 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) |
| Aug | 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) |
| Sep | 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) |
| Oct | 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) |
| Nov | 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) |
| Dec | 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) |
Data:
Met Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Pakistan and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.
Pakistan passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Visa Online (e-Visa)
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom than Pakistan?
No — United Kingdom is on average about 418% more expensive than Pakistan. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly £74,250 in United Kingdom on a PKR21,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?
Internet is rarely the blocker — United Kingdom has 42.2 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 United Kingdom safe for expats?
United Kingdom performs significantly better than Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.3 in Pakistan.
How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Pakistan?
Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.0 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 11.6 in Pakistan. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).
What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Pakistan?
The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.
What language do they speak in United Kingdom?
The official language in United Kingdom is English. In Pakistan, the official languages are English and Urdu.
