Moving to Pakistan from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United Arab Emirates to Pakistan — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Pakistan, you would find that Pakistan is 66.7% cheaper than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,486 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly PKR5,975,176 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.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from United Arab Emirates to Pakistan.
What does your salary buy?
AED275,486 → PKR5,975,176
To maintain the same standard of living in Pakistan
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 61.2% less
Groceries
pay 59.8% less
Transportation
pay 41.4% less
Housing
pay 79.5% less
Childcare
pay 88.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 74.4% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Pakistan leads in water stress level.
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
United Arab Emirates performs better than Pakistan across all employment & economy metrics.
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
United Arab Emirates performs better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, 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 | Abu Dhabi | Islamabad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Islamabad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) |
Data:
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates 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.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Pakistan
Visa Free
Pakistan passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
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 United Arab Emirates?
Generally yes: Pakistan runs about 71% cheaper than United Arab Emirates 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 AED275,486 comparable salary, that's around PKR1,493,794 in Pakistan for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, 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 United Arab Emirates and Pakistan.
Is Pakistan safe for expats?
United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Pakistan compared to United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates 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 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Pakistan scores 45 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Pakistan compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Islamabad is 84°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Islamabad receives around 49.1 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in Pakistan?
The official languages in Pakistan are English and Urdu. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
