What if you were born in Hungary?

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

Try it with my numbers

Hungarian Parliament Building across the Danube, Budapest. Photo: Kilyann Le Hen, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Hungary

Each person keeps the same place on the income ladder they have in Pakistan. Amounts are per month, after tax, in HUF and in rupees at today’s rate.

Single, starting out

Earns Rs 60,000 a month in Pakistan, on your own.

Take-home in Hungary: HUF 632,000Rs 532,000
Rent (city centre): HUF 183,000
Transport (public transport): HUF 24,200
Food: HUF 91,300
Saved: HUF 94,700

Family of four

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

Take-home in Hungary: HUF 1,450,000Rs 1,220,000
Rent (suburbs): HUF 370,000
Transport (public transport): HUF 55,500
Food: HUF 247,000
Saved: HUF 218,000

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Hungary: HUF 2,350,000Rs 1,980,000
Rent (city centre): HUF 576,000
Transport (car): HUF 220,000
Food: HUF 288,000
Saved: HUF 659,000

Try it with my own income

A day in Budapest

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

Morning
You wake up in Budapest, a city of snowy winters around -2°C and warm summers around 23°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 Hungarian at work; English helps in the big cities.
Lunch
Lunch might be goulash: a beef and paprika soup.
Evening
You get home with HUF 218,000 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for markets, parks and friends.

Hungary compared with Pakistan

	Hungary	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	2.5× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	77 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	14 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	4.5%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	11°C	26°C
Languages	Hungarian	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	HUF	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 Hungary, living in Hungary and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 HUF 1,450,000 a month at the same level in Hungary (about Rs 1,220,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Hungary more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 2.5 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 Hungary?

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

Can I actually move to Hungary?

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