What if you were born in China?

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

Try it with my numbers

Great Wall of China at Jinshanling. Photo: Severin.stalder, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in China

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in China: CNY 4,900Rs 203,000
Rent (city centre): CNY 1,420
Transport (public transport): CNY 188
Food: CNY 709
Saved: CNY 735

Family of four

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

Take-home in China: CNY 11,300Rs 466,000
Rent (suburbs): CNY 2,870
Transport (public transport): CNY 431
Food: CNY 1,920
Saved: CNY 1,690

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in China: CNY 18,300Rs 756,000
Rent (city centre): CNY 4,470
Transport (car): CNY 1,710
Food: CNY 2,230
Saved: CNY 5,110

Try it with my own income

A day in Shanghai

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

Morning
You wake up in Shanghai, a city of cool winters around 4°C and warm summers around 29°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
Everything happens in Chinese (Mandarin); English is not widely spoken.
Lunch
Lunch might be peking duck: roasted duck with crispy skin, wrapped in thin pancakes.
Evening
You get home with CNY 1,690 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains.

China compared with Pakistan

	China	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	2.1× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	78 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	32 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	4.6%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	17°C	26°C
Languages	Chinese (Mandarin)	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	CNY	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 China, living in China and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 CNY 11,300 a month at the same level in China (about Rs 466,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is China more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 2.1 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 China?

Mainly Chinese (Mandarin). English is not widely spoken.

Can I actually move to China?

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