Moving to Pakistan from South Korea
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Korea to Pakistan — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Korea to Pakistan, you would find that Pakistan is 62.4% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩112,436,250 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly PKR7,927,463 in Pakistan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Urdu. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Islamabad averages 84°F vs 63°F in Seoul, making it significantly warmer.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Korea to Pakistan.
What does your salary buy?
₩112,436,250 → PKR7,927,463
To maintain the same standard of living in Pakistan
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 59.4% less
Groceries
pay 76.0% less
Transportation
pay 44.2% less
Housing
pay 62.0% less
Childcare
pay 91.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 52.0% less
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 Pakistan cost about 57% less than cities in South Korea.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
How South Korea and Pakistan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea performs 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
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
South Korea generally does better on environment, though Pakistan leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
South Korea performs 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
South Korea 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
South Korea performs better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Seoul | Islamabad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Islamabad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) |
Korea Meteorological AdministrationVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea and Pakistan. To live, work, or study long-term in Pakistan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Pakistan's immigration authority.
South Korea passport holder visiting Pakistan
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Pakistan passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Pakistan than South Korea?
Generally yes: Pakistan runs about 62% cheaper than South Korea on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Pakistan?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ₩112,436,250 comparable salary, that's around PKR1,981,866 in Pakistan for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Pakistan?
With 1.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Pakistan can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in South Korea and Pakistan.
Is Pakistan safe for expats?
South Korea performs better than Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Pakistan is 4.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea.
How is healthcare in Pakistan compared to South Korea?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 10.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Pakistan, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. Pakistan scores 45 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Pakistan compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Islamabad is 84°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Islamabad receives around 49.1 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Pakistan?
The official languages in Pakistan are English and Urdu. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
