Moving to Pakistan from Turkey

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Turkey to Pakistan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Turkey to Pakistan, you would find that Pakistan is 51.1% cheaper than Turkey overall. A TRY3,523,838 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly PKR8,351,260 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 64°F in Ankara, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Turkey to Pakistan.

What does your salary buy?

TRY3,523,838 PKR8,351,260

To maintain the same standard of living in Pakistan

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 58.5% less

Groceries

pay 38.7% less

Transportation

pay 50.0% less

Housing

pay 28.5% less

Childcare

pay 90.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 38.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 TRY = 5.92 PKR (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 Pakistan cost about 60% less than cities in Turkey.

Turkey

Istanbul 49%

Pakistan

Karachi 18%
Lahore 18%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Turkey to Pakistan.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

TR
2.7
PK
4.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TR
6.5
PK
11.9

Turkey performs better than Pakistan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

TR
$1,769
PK
$152
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

TR
21.7
PK
10.8

Turkey 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

TR
39.0
PK
105.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TR
5.4t
PK
0.8t

Turkey generally does better on environment, though Pakistan leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

TR
22.3
PK
1.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TR
43.4%
PK
162.1%

Turkey performs 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

TR
9.4%
PK
5.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TR
$34,400
PK
$5,600

Turkey generally does better on employment & economy, though Pakistan leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TR
76.2 yrs
PK
69.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TR
19.4
PK
54.0

Turkey performs better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.

Data: Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ankara Rain: 15.0 in/yr (382 mm)
64° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Islamabad Rain: 49.1 in/yr (1247 mm)
84° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ankara Islamabad
Jan–Mar 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) 69°/44°F (21°/7°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 95°/68°F (35°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) 94°/74°F (34°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) 78°/48°F (26°/9°C)
View all months
Month Ankara Islamabad
Jan 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C)
Feb 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C)
Mar 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C)
Apr 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C)
May 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C)
Jun 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C)
Aug 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C)
Sep 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C)
Oct 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C)
Nov 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C)
Dec 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C)

Data: Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkey 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.

Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting Pakistan

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

Pakistan passport holder visiting Turkey

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

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 Pakistan than Turkey?

Yes — Pakistan is on average about 60% cheaper than Turkey. 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 PKR2,087,815 in Pakistan on a TRY3,523,838 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 1.3 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?

Turkey performs better than Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Pakistan is 4.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.7 in Turkey.

How is healthcare in Pakistan compared to Turkey?

Turkey 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 21.7 in Turkey. Pakistan scores 45 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).

What's the weather like in Pakistan compared to Turkey?

The average high temperature in Islamabad is 84°F, compared to 64°F in Ankara. Islamabad receives around 49.1 in of rainfall per year, while Ankara gets 15.0 in.

What language do they speak in Pakistan?

The official languages in Pakistan are English and Urdu. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.

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At a Glance

TR PK
Population 83,047,706 242,923,845
Currency Turkish Lira (TRY) Pakistani Rupee (PKR)
Languages Turkish English, Urdu
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +90 +92
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 15