What if you were born in Japan?

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

Try it with my numbers

Himeji Castle with cherry blossoms. Photo: Seattleite7, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Japan

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Japan: JPY 373,000Rs 647,000
Rent (city centre): JPY 108,000
Transport (public transport): JPY 14,300
Food: JPY 53,900
Saved: JPY 55,900

Family of four

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

Take-home in Japan: JPY 856,000Rs 1,490,000
Rent (suburbs): JPY 218,000
Transport (public transport): JPY 32,700
Food: JPY 146,000
Saved: JPY 128,000

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Japan: JPY 1,390,000Rs 2,410,000
Rent (city centre): JPY 340,000
Transport (car): JPY 130,000
Food: JPY 170,000
Saved: JPY 389,000

Try it with my own income

A day in Tokyo

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

Morning
You wake up in Tokyo, a city of cool winters around 5°C and warm summers around 27°C, and an umbrella is never far away.
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
Everything happens in Japanese; English is not widely spoken.
Lunch
Lunch might be sushi, ramen and tempura.
Evening
You get home with JPY 128,000 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast, the mountains and forest trails.

Japan compared with Pakistan

	Japan	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	3.0× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	84 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	11 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	2.5%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	16°C	26°C
Languages	Japanese	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	JPY	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 Japan, living in Japan and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 JPY 856,000 a month at the same level in Japan (about Rs 1,490,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Japan more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 3.0 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 Japan?

Mainly Japanese. English is not widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Japan?

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