What if you were born in Kazakhstan?

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

Try it with my numbers

Charyn Canyon. Photo: Bgag, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Kazakhstan

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Kazakhstan: KZT 488,000Rs 304,000
Rent (city centre): KZT 141,000
Transport (public transport): KZT 24,900
Food: KZT 70,600
Saved: KZT 73,300

Family of four

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

Take-home in Kazakhstan: KZT 1,120,000Rs 698,000
Rent (suburbs): KZT 286,000
Transport (public transport): KZT 57,200
Food: KZT 191,000
Saved: KZT 168,000

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Kazakhstan: KZT 1,820,000Rs 1,130,000
Rent (city centre): KZT 445,000
Transport (car): KZT 170,000
Food: KZT 223,000
Saved: KZT 509,000

Try it with my own income

A day in Almaty

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

Morning
You wake up in Almaty, a city of snowy winters around -13°C and cool summers around 14°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
Everything happens in Kazakh; English is not widely spoken.
Lunch
Lunch might be beshbarmak: boiled meat on flat noodles, traditionally eaten by hand.
Evening
You get home with KZT 168,000 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the mountains, and skiing in winter.

Kazakhstan compared with Pakistan

	Kazakhstan	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	1.6× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	75 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	20 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	4.8%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	1°C	26°C
Languages	Kazakh, Russian	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	KZT	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 Kazakhstan, living in Kazakhstan and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 KZT 1,120,000 a month at the same level in Kazakhstan (about Rs 698,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Kazakhstan more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 1.6 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 Kazakhstan?

Mainly Kazakh, Russian. English is not widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Kazakhstan?

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