What if you were born in Canada?

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

Try it with my numbers

Moraine Lake, Banff National Park. Photo: Tobias Alt, Tobi 87, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Canada

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Canada: CAD 5,700Rs 1,110,000
Rent (city centre): CAD 1,650
Transport (public transport): CAD 291
Food: CAD 824
Saved: CAD 856

Family of four

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

Take-home in Canada: CAD 13,100Rs 2,550,000
Rent (suburbs): CAD 3,340
Transport (public transport): CAD 668
Food: CAD 2,230
Saved: CAD 1,970

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Canada: CAD 21,200Rs 4,130,000
Rent (city centre): CAD 5,200
Transport (car): CAD 1,990
Food: CAD 2,600
Saved: CAD 5,950

Try it with my own income

A day in Toronto

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

Morning
You wake up in Toronto, a city of snowy winters around -3°C and cool summers around 22°C.
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
You speak English.
Lunch
Lunch might be poutine: chips topped with cheese curds and gravy, and maple syrup on pancakes.
Evening
You get home with CAD 1,970 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains, and skiing in winter.

Canada compared with Pakistan

	Canada	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	3.9× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	82 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	7 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	6.9%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	9°C	26°C
Languages	English, French	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	CAD	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 Canada, living in Canada and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 CAD 13,100 a month at the same level in Canada (about Rs 2,550,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Canada more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 3.9 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 Canada?

Mainly English, French. English is an official language.

Can I actually move to Canada?

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