What if you were born in Azerbaijan?

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

Try it with my numbers

Lake Göygöl in the Lesser Caucasus. Photo: Ilkin M-zade, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Azerbaijan

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Azerbaijan: AZN 977Rs 159,000
Rent (city centre): AZN 282
Transport (public transport): AZN 50
Food: AZN 141
Saved: AZN 147

Family of four

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

Take-home in Azerbaijan: AZN 2,250Rs 365,000
Rent (suburbs): AZN 572
Transport (public transport): AZN 114
Food: AZN 382
Saved: AZN 337

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Azerbaijan: AZN 3,640Rs 592,000
Rent (city centre): AZN 891
Transport (car): AZN 341
Food: AZN 445
Saved: AZN 1,020

Try it with my own income

A day in Baku

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

Morning
You wake up in Baku, a city of cool winters around 6°C and warm summers around 27°C, and rain is rare.
Commute
You take a bus and a train: about 40 minutes, a bit longer in bad weather.
Work
As an engineer: You spend the morning on site and the afternoon on drawings and calls with suppliers.
Language
Everything happens in Azerbaijani; English is not widely spoken.
Lunch
Lunch might be plov: saffron rice served with meat, chestnuts and dried fruit.
Evening
You get home with AZN 337 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains.

Azerbaijan compared with Pakistan

	Azerbaijan	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	1.4× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	75 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	24 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	5.5%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	15°C	26°C
Languages	Azerbaijani	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	AZN	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 Azerbaijan, living in Azerbaijan and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 AZN 2,250 a month at the same level in Azerbaijan (about Rs 365,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Azerbaijan more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 1.4 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 Azerbaijan?

Mainly Azerbaijani. English is not widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Azerbaijan?

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