What if you were born in Belgium?

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

Try it with my numbers

Rozenhoedkaai canal in Bruges with the Belfry. Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Belgium

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 Belgium: EUR 3,690Rs 1,130,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 1,070
Transport (public transport): EUR 141
Food: EUR 533
Saved: EUR 553

Family of four

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

Take-home in Belgium: EUR 8,470Rs 2,590,000
Rent (suburbs): EUR 2,160
Transport (public transport): EUR 324
Food: EUR 1,440
Saved: EUR 1,270

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Belgium: EUR 13,700Rs 4,200,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 3,360
Transport (car): EUR 1,280
Food: EUR 1,680
Saved: EUR 3,840

Try it with my own income

A day in Brussels

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

Morning
You wake up in Brussels, a city of cool winters around 3°C and cool summers around 19°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 Dutch at home, and English works almost everywhere.
Lunch
Lunch might be moules-frites (mussels with chips), waffles and world-famous chocolate.
Evening
You get home with EUR 1,270 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast.

Belgium compared with Pakistan

	Belgium	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	3.8× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	82 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	8 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	5.9%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	10°C	26°C
Languages	Dutch, French, 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 Belgium, living in Belgium and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 8,470 a month at the same level in Belgium (about Rs 2,590,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Belgium more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 3.8 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 Belgium?

Mainly Dutch, French, German. English is widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Belgium?

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