What if you were born in Estonia?

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

Try it with my numbers

Tallinn Old Town at sunrise. Photo: Hendrik Mändla, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Estonia

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 Estonia: EUR 2,100Rs 646,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 607
Transport (public transport): EUR 107
Food: EUR 304
Saved: EUR 315

Family of four

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

Take-home in Estonia: EUR 4,830Rs 1,490,000
Rent (suburbs): EUR 1,230
Transport (public transport): EUR 246
Food: EUR 821
Saved: EUR 724

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Estonia: EUR 7,830Rs 2,410,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 1,920
Transport (car): EUR 733
Food: EUR 958
Saved: EUR 2,190

Try it with my own income

A day in Tallinn

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

Morning
You wake up in Tallinn, a city of snowy winters around -5°C and cool summers around 18°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 Estonian at home, and English works almost everywhere.
Lunch
Lunch might be dark rye bread with almost every meal, and kama, a flour mix eaten with buttermilk.
Evening
You get home with EUR 724 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and forest trails.

Estonia compared with Pakistan

	Estonia	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	3.3× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	79 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	6 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	8.3%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	6°C	26°C
Languages	Estonian	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 Estonia, living in Estonia and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 4,830 a month at the same level in Estonia (about Rs 1,490,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Estonia more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 3.3 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 Estonia?

Mainly Estonian. English is widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Estonia?

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