Moving to United Kingdom from Pakistan

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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 9.4 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR20,869,801 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly £207,157 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.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Pakistan to United Kingdom.

What does your salary buy?

PKR20,869,801 £207,157

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 6.5 times more

Groceries

pay 3.4 times more

Transportation

pay 5.9 times more

Housing

pay 10.4 times more

Childcare

pay 32.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.8 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PKR = 0.0027 GBP (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 United Kingdom cost about 222% more than cities in Pakistan.

Pakistan

Karachi 18%
Lahore 18%

United Kingdom

Bath 63%
Slough 61%

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.

Moved in 2019
16,000 ↑ 62% vs 2018

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

Who's moving to United Kingdom?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Pakistan to United Kingdom.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PK
4.2
GB
1.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PK
11.9
GB
2.4

United Kingdom 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
GB
$6,606
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PK
10.8
GB
31.7

United Kingdom 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
GB
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PK
0.8t
GB
4.2t

Pakistan generally does better on environment, though United Kingdom 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
GB
41.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PK
162.1%
GB
14.3%

United Kingdom 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%
GB
4.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PK
$5,600
GB
$54,100

United Kingdom 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
GB
81.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PK
54.0
GB
3.8

United Kingdom 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

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

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 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

Pakistan passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Pakistan passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to United Kingdom.
United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Pakistan

Visa Online (e-Visa)
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom than Pakistan?

No — United Kingdom is on average about 270% 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 £51,789 in United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom?

Internet is rarely the blocker — United Kingdom has 41.4 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 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.2 in Pakistan.

How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Pakistan?

United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 10.8 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.

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At a Glance

PK GB
Population 242,923,845 67,791,400
Currency Pakistani Rupee (PKR) British Pound Sterling (£)
Languages English, Urdu English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +92 +44
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 15 999