Moving to Pakistan from Sweden
What to Expect
Considering a move from Sweden to Pakistan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Sweden to Pakistan, you would find that Pakistan is 70.7% cheaper than Sweden overall. A SEK723,502 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly PKR6,433,287 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 52°F in Stockholm, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Sweden and Pakistan.
What does your salary buy?
SEK723,502 → PKR6,433,287
To maintain the same standard of living in Pakistan
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 80.4% less
Groceries
pay 73.3% less
Transportation
pay 65.4% less
Housing
pay 68.5% less
Childcare
pay 73.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 72.1% 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 65% less than cities in Sweden.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Pakistan compared to Sweden.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Sweden 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
Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden 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
Sweden 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
Sweden 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
Sweden generally does better on employment & economy, though Pakistan leads in unemployment 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
Sweden performs better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.
Data: Skatteverket, 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 | Stockholm | Islamabad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) | 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) | 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) | 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Stockholm | Islamabad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) |
| Feb | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) | 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) |
| Mar | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) | 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) | 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) |
| May | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) | 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) |
| Jun | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) | 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) |
| Jul | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) | 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) |
| Aug | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) | 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) |
| Sep | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) | 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) |
| Oct | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) | 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) |
| Nov | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) | 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) |
| Dec | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) | 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) |
Data:
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden 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.
Sweden passport holder visiting Pakistan
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Pakistan passport holder visiting Sweden
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 Sweden?
On average Pakistan is about 69% less expensive than Sweden, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Pakistan?
Budget about PKR1,608,322 for 3 months in Pakistan (based on a SEK723,502 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Pakistan?
Connectivity is usually fine (Pakistan: 1.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Pakistan offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Pakistan safe for expats?
Sweden performs better than Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Pakistan is 4.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden.
How is healthcare in Pakistan compared to Sweden?
Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 10.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Pakistan, compared to 71.5 in Sweden. Pakistan scores 45 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).
What's the weather like in Pakistan compared to Sweden?
The average high temperature in Islamabad is 84°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Islamabad receives around 49.1 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.
What language do they speak in Pakistan?
The official languages in Pakistan are English and Urdu. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.
