Moving to Pakistan from Switzerland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Switzerland to Pakistan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Switzerland to Pakistan, you would find that Pakistan is 86.4% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF62,000 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly PKR2,830,000 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 — Karachi averages 90°F vs 55°F in Zurich, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Pakistan cheaper than Switzerland?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 88.9% less
Groceries
pay 79.9% less
Transportation
pay 69.2% less
Housing
pay 91.7% less
Childcare
pay 97.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 78.2% 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.
What salary do you need in Pakistan?
What does your salary buy?
CHF62,000 → PKR2,830,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Pakistan
Calculate with your salary →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 72% less than cities in Switzerland.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Pakistan
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Switzerland to Pakistan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
Switzerland performs better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016), Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Pakistan vs Switzerland
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Zurich | Karachi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 84°/58°F (29°/15°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 96°/79°F (35°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 91°/80°F (33°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 90°/63°F (32°/17°C) |
View all months
| Month | Zurich | Karachi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 79°/53°F (26.3°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 83°/57°F (28.4°/14.0°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 90°/65°F (32.2°/18.6°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 95°/73°F (34.8°/23.0°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 96°/80°F (35.5°/26.6°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 96°/83°F (35.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 92°/82°F (33.3°/27.6°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 90°/79°F (32.1°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 92°/78°F (33.2°/25.7°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 96°/71°F (35.5°/21.9°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 90°/62°F (32.5°/16.8°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 83°/55°F (28.2°/12.7°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Can you move from Switzerland to Pakistan?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland 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.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Pakistan
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Pakistan passport holder visiting Switzerland
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 Switzerland?
Yes — Pakistan is on average about 86% cheaper than Switzerland. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Pakistan?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly PKR707,500 in Pakistan on a CHF62,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Pakistan?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Pakistan has 1.5 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 Pakistan safe for expats?
Switzerland performs better than Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Pakistan is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Switzerland.
How is healthcare in Pakistan compared to Switzerland?
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 11.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Pakistan, compared to 44.8 in Switzerland. Pakistan scores 45 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Pakistan compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Karachi is 90°F, compared to 55°F in Zurich. Karachi receives around 6.9 in of rainfall per year, while Zurich gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Pakistan?
The official languages in Pakistan are English and Urdu. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
