What if you were born in Greece?

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

Try it with my numbers

Oia, Santorini. Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Greece

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 Greece: EUR 2,160Rs 665,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 625
Transport (public transport): EUR 110
Food: EUR 313
Saved: EUR 324

Family of four

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

Take-home in Greece: EUR 4,970Rs 1,530,000
Rent (suburbs): EUR 1,270
Transport (public transport): EUR 253
Food: EUR 845
Saved: EUR 745

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Greece: EUR 8,050Rs 2,480,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 1,970
Transport (car): EUR 754
Food: EUR 986
Saved: EUR 2,260

Try it with my own income

A day in Athens

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

Morning
You wake up in Athens, a city of cool winters around 9°C and warm summers around 28°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 Greek at work; English helps in the big cities.
Lunch
Lunch might be moussaka: layers of aubergine, minced meat and creamy béchamel.
Evening
You get home with EUR 745 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains.

Greece compared with Pakistan

	Greece	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	2.9× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	82 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	14 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	8.5%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	18°C	26°C
Languages	Greek	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 Greece, living in Greece and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 4,970 a month at the same level in Greece (about Rs 1,530,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Greece 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 Greece?

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

Can I actually move to Greece?

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