What if you were born in Austria?

If you had grown up in Austria instead of Pakistan, here is what your money, your home and your day in Vienna could look like.

Try it with my numbers

Hallstatt on the Hallstätter See. Photo: C.Stadler/Bwag, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Austria

Each person keeps the same place on the income ladder they have in Pakistan. Amounts are per month, after tax, in EUR and in rupees at today’s rate.

Single, starting out

Earns Rs 60,000 a month in Pakistan, on your own.

Take-home in Austria: EUR 3,790Rs 1,170,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 1,100
Transport (public transport): EUR 145
Food: EUR 548
Saved: EUR 569

Family of four

Earns Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, as a family of four.

Take-home in Austria: EUR 8,710Rs 2,680,000
Rent (suburbs): EUR 2,220
Transport (public transport): EUR 333
Food: EUR 1,480
Saved: EUR 1,310

High-earning couple

Earns Rs 300,000 a month in Pakistan, as a couple.

Take-home in Austria: EUR 14,100Rs 4,340,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 3,460
Transport (car): EUR 1,320
Food: EUR 1,730
Saved: EUR 3,950

Try it with my own income

A day in Vienna

The family of four above, with one parent working as an engineer.

Morning
You wake up in Vienna, a city of snowy winters around -2°C and cool summers around 21°C.
Commute
You take the metro or train: about 25 to 35 minutes, door to door, and it runs on time.
Work
As an engineer: You spend the morning on site and the afternoon on drawings and calls with suppliers.
Language
You speak German at home, and English works almost everywhere.
Lunch
Lunch might be wiener schnitzel: a thin veal cutlet, breaded and fried.
Evening
You get home with EUR 1,310 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the mountains and forest trails, and skiing in winter.

Austria compared with Pakistan

	Austria	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	3.7× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	82 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	10 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	5.6%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	10°C	26°C
Languages	German	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	EUR	PKR

Sources: World Bank (price levels, household spending, life expectancy, PM2.5, unemployment), NASA POWER (climate), Dareecha’s daily exchange rates.

Thinking of really moving? See Pakistan vs Austria, living in Austria and the visa checker.

Questions

How much would I earn if I was born in Austria?

It depends on where you are on the ladder. A family earning Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, above the national average, would take home around EUR 8,710 a month at the same level in Austria (about Rs 2,680,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Austria more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 3.7 times as much as in Pakistan (World Bank price levels), but incomes there are higher too, so what matters is how far your pay goes.

What language would I speak in Austria?

Mainly German. English is widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Austria?

This page imagines being born there. For a real move, compare costs, safety and jobs on the Pakistan vs Austria page, and check visa rules in the visa checker.