What if you were born in Kuwait?

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

Try it with my numbers

Kuwait City skyline from Souq Sharq marina. Photo: Zairon, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Kuwait

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Kuwait: KWD 543Rs 486,000
Rent (city centre): KWD 157
Transport (public transport): KWD 37
Food: KWD 78
Saved: KWD 81

Family of four

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

Take-home in Kuwait: KWD 1,250Rs 1,120,000
Rent (suburbs): KWD 318
Transport (public transport): KWD 85
Food: KWD 212
Saved: KWD 187

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Kuwait: KWD 2,020Rs 1,810,000
Rent (city centre): KWD 495
Transport (car): KWD 189
Food: KWD 247
Saved: KWD 566

Try it with my own income

A day in Kuwait City

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

Morning
You wake up in Kuwait City, a city of mild winters around 14°C and hot summers near 37°C, and rain is rare.
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 Arabic at home, and English works almost everywhere.
Lunch
Lunch might be machboos: spiced rice with meat or fish.
Evening
You get home with KWD 187 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast.

Kuwait compared with Pakistan

	Kuwait	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	2.6× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	85 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	62 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	2.2%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	26°C	26°C
Languages	Arabic	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	KWD	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 Kuwait, living in Kuwait and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 KWD 1,250 a month at the same level in Kuwait (about Rs 1,120,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Kuwait more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 2.6 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 Kuwait?

Mainly Arabic. English is widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Kuwait?

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