What if you were born in Iceland?

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

Try it with my numbers

Seljalandsfoss waterfall seen from behind. Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Iceland

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Iceland: ISK 823,000Rs 1,860,000
Rent (city centre): ISK 238,000
Transport (public transport): ISK 56,000
Food: ISK 119,000
Saved: ISK 123,000

Family of four

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

Take-home in Iceland: ISK 1,890,000Rs 4,270,000
Rent (suburbs): ISK 482,000
Transport (public transport): ISK 129,000
Food: ISK 322,000
Saved: ISK 284,000

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Iceland: ISK 3,070,000Rs 6,930,000
Rent (city centre): ISK 750,000
Transport (car): ISK 287,000
Food: ISK 375,000
Saved: ISK 858,000

Try it with my own income

A day in Reykjavík

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

Morning
You wake up in Reykjavík, a city of snowy winters around 0°C and cool summers around 11°C, and an umbrella is never far away.
Commute
Public transport is limited here, so you share rides or use taxis and buses for a longer commute.
Work
As an engineer: You spend the morning on site and the afternoon on drawings and calls with suppliers.
Language
You speak Icelandic at home, and English works almost everywhere.
Lunch
Lunch might be skyr, a thick yoghurt-like dairy food, and lamb soup.
Evening
You get home with ISK 284,000 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains, and skiing in winter.

Iceland compared with Pakistan

	Iceland	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	5.7× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	83 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	5 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	3.6%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	5°C	26°C
Languages	Icelandic	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	ISK	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 Iceland, living in Iceland and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 ISK 1,890,000 a month at the same level in Iceland (about Rs 4,270,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Iceland more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 5.7 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 Iceland?

Mainly Icelandic. English is widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Iceland?

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