What if you were born in Germany?

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

Try it with my numbers

Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria. Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 de (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Germany

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 Germany: EUR 3,750Rs 1,150,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 1,080
Transport (public transport): EUR 143
Food: EUR 541
Saved: EUR 562

Family of four

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

Take-home in Germany: EUR 8,610Rs 2,650,000
Rent (suburbs): EUR 2,200
Transport (public transport): EUR 329
Food: EUR 1,460
Saved: EUR 1,290

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Germany: EUR 14,000Rs 4,290,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 3,420
Transport (car): EUR 1,310
Food: EUR 1,710
Saved: EUR 3,910

Try it with my own income

A day in Berlin

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

Morning
You wake up in Berlin, a city of snowy winters around -1°C and cool summers around 21°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 German at home, and English works almost everywhere.
Lunch
Lunch might be bratwurst sausages, pretzels and sauerkraut.
Evening
You get home with EUR 1,290 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains, and skiing in winter.

Germany compared with Pakistan

	Germany	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	3.5× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	81 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	9 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	3.7%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	10°C	26°C
Languages	German	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 Germany, living in Germany and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 8,610 a month at the same level in Germany (about Rs 2,650,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Germany more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 3.5 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 Germany?

Mainly German. English is widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Germany?

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