What if you were born in Ireland?

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

Try it with my numbers

Cliffs of Moher, County Clare. Photo: Barney Murphy, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Ireland

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 Ireland: EUR 3,840Rs 1,170,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 1,110
Transport (public transport): EUR 196
Food: EUR 555
Saved: EUR 576

Family of four

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

Take-home in Ireland: EUR 8,820Rs 2,700,000
Rent (suburbs): EUR 2,250
Transport (public transport): EUR 450
Food: EUR 1,500
Saved: EUR 1,320

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Ireland: EUR 14,300Rs 4,370,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 3,500
Transport (car): EUR 1,340
Food: EUR 1,750
Saved: EUR 4,000

Try it with my own income

A day in Dublin

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

Morning
You wake up in Dublin, a city of cool winters around 6°C and cool summers around 15°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 English.
Lunch
Lunch might be stew of lamb, potatoes and onions, and soda bread.
Evening
You get home with EUR 1,320 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains.

Ireland compared with Pakistan

	Ireland	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	4.4× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	83 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	8 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	4.6%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	10°C	26°C
Languages	English, Irish	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 Ireland, living in Ireland and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 8,820 a month at the same level in Ireland (about Rs 2,700,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Ireland more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 4.4 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 Ireland?

Mainly English, Irish. English is an official language.

Can I actually move to Ireland?

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