What if you were born in Czechia?

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

Try it with my numbers

Charles Bridge and the Vltava, Prague. Photo: Peter K Burian, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Czechia

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Czechia: CZK 48,900Rs 618,000
Rent (city centre): CZK 14,100
Transport (public transport): CZK 1,870
Food: CZK 7,070
Saved: CZK 7,340

Family of four

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

Take-home in Czechia: CZK 112,000Rs 1,420,000
Rent (suburbs): CZK 28,700
Transport (public transport): CZK 4,300
Food: CZK 19,100
Saved: CZK 16,900

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Czechia: CZK 182,000Rs 2,300,000
Rent (city centre): CZK 44,600
Transport (car): CZK 17,100
Food: CZK 22,300
Saved: CZK 51,000

Try it with my own income

A day in Prague

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

Morning
You wake up in Prague, a city of snowy winters around -2°C and cool summers around 20°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 Czech at work; English helps in the big cities.
Lunch
Lunch might be svíčková: beef in a creamy vegetable sauce, served with bread dumplings.
Evening
You get home with CZK 16,900 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the mountains, and skiing in winter.

Czechia compared with Pakistan

	Czechia	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	2.9× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	80 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	13 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	2.8%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	9°C	26°C
Languages	Czech	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	CZK	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 Czechia, living in Czechia and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 CZK 112,000 a month at the same level in Czechia (about Rs 1,420,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Czechia more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 2.9 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 Czechia?

Mainly Czech. English is spoken by some people, mostly in cities.

Can I actually move to Czechia?

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