Moving to Pakistan from Turkey
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 57.8% cheaper than Turkey overall. A TRY3,700,000 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly PKR8,740,000 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 65°F in Istanbul, 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 Turkey?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 60.5% less
Groceries
pay 38.7% less
Transportation
pay 41.0% less
Housing
pay 66.1% less
Childcare
pay 90.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 42.9% 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?
TRY3,700,000 → PKR8,740,000
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 44% less than cities in Turkey.
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 Turkey to Pakistan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Turkey 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
Turkey 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
Turkey 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
Turkey 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
Turkey 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Turkey performs better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey (2016), Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Pakistan vs Turkey
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Istanbul | Karachi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (10°/3°C) | 84°/58°F (29°/15°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 96°/79°F (35°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) | 91°/80°F (33°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 60°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 90°/63°F (32°/17°C) |
View all months
| Month | Istanbul | Karachi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C) | 79°/53°F (26.3°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C) | 83°/57°F (28.4°/14.0°C) |
| Mar | 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C) | 90°/65°F (32.2°/18.6°C) |
| Apr | 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C) | 95°/73°F (34.8°/23.0°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C) | 96°/80°F (35.5°/26.6°C) |
| Jun | 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C) | 96°/83°F (35.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C) | 92°/82°F (33.3°/27.6°C) |
| Aug | 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C) | 90°/79°F (32.1°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C) | 92°/78°F (33.2°/25.7°C) |
| Oct | 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C) | 96°/71°F (35.5°/21.9°C) |
| Nov | 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C) | 90°/62°F (32.5°/16.8°C) |
| Dec | 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°C) | 83°/55°F (28.2°/12.7°C) |
Turkish State Meteorological ServiceCan you move from Turkey to Pakistan?
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 holder visiting Pakistan
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Pakistan passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa Online (e-Visa)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 58% 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 PKR2,185,000 in Pakistan on a TRY3,700,000 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?
Turkey performs better than Pakistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Pakistan is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.2 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 11.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Pakistan, compared to 22.4 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 Karachi is 90°F, compared to 65°F in Istanbul. Karachi receives around 6.9 in of rainfall per year, while Istanbul gets 26.7 in.
What language do they speak in Pakistan?
The official languages in Pakistan are English and Urdu. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.
