What if you were born in France?

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

Try it with my numbers

Paris rooftops and the Eiffel Tower. Photo: Yann Caradec from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in France

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 France: EUR 3,070Rs 939,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 887
Transport (public transport): EUR 117
Food: EUR 444
Saved: EUR 461

Family of four

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

Take-home in France: EUR 7,050Rs 2,160,000
Rent (suburbs): EUR 1,800
Transport (public transport): EUR 270
Food: EUR 1,200
Saved: EUR 1,060

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in France: EUR 11,400Rs 3,500,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 2,800
Transport (car): EUR 1,070
Food: EUR 1,400
Saved: EUR 3,200

Try it with my own income

A day in Paris

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

Morning
You wake up in Paris, a city of cool winters around 3°C and cool summers around 19°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 French at work; English helps in the big cities.
Lunch
Lunch might be croissants, baguettes and hundreds of kinds of cheese.
Evening
You get home with EUR 1,060 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains.

France compared with Pakistan

	France	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	3.6× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	83 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	8 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	7.5%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	11°C	26°C
Languages	French	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 France, living in France and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 7,050 a month at the same level in France (about Rs 2,160,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is France more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 3.6 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 France?

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

Can I actually move to France?

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