What if you were born in Finland?

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

Try it with my numbers

Helsinki. Photo: দেবর্ষি রায় from Brno, Czech Republic, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Finland

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 Finland: EUR 3,310Rs 1,020,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 955
Transport (public transport): EUR 126
Food: EUR 478
Saved: EUR 496

Family of four

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

Take-home in Finland: EUR 7,590Rs 2,340,000
Rent (suburbs): EUR 1,940
Transport (public transport): EUR 290
Food: EUR 1,290
Saved: EUR 1,140

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Finland: EUR 12,300Rs 3,790,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 3,010
Transport (car): EUR 1,150
Food: EUR 1,510
Saved: EUR 3,450

Try it with my own income

A day in Helsinki

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

Morning
You wake up in Helsinki, a city of snowy winters around -4°C and cool summers around 18°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 Finnish at home, and English works almost everywhere.
Lunch
Lunch might be karelian pies: rye crusts filled with rice porridge, topped with egg butter.
Evening
You get home with EUR 1,140 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and forest trails.

Finland compared with Pakistan

	Finland	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	4.0× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	82 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	5 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	9.5%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	6°C	26°C
Languages	Finnish, Swedish	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 Finland, living in Finland and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 7,590 a month at the same level in Finland (about Rs 2,340,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Finland more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 4.0 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 Finland?

Mainly Finnish, Swedish. English is widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Finland?

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