What if you were born in Latvia?

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

Try it with my numbers

Old Riga rooftops and Riga Cathedral. Photo: Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Latvia

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 Latvia: EUR 1,760Rs 540,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 507
Transport (public transport): EUR 90
Food: EUR 254
Saved: EUR 263

Family of four

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

Take-home in Latvia: EUR 4,030Rs 1,240,000
Rent (suburbs): EUR 1,030
Transport (public transport): EUR 206
Food: EUR 686
Saved: EUR 605

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Latvia: EUR 6,540Rs 2,010,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 1,600
Transport (car): EUR 612
Food: EUR 800
Saved: EUR 1,830

Try it with my own income

A day in Riga

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

Morning
You wake up in Riga, a city of snowy winters around -5°C and cool summers around 18°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 Latvian at work; English helps in the big cities.
Lunch
Lunch might be grey peas with bacon, and dark rye bread.
Evening
You get home with EUR 605 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and forest trails.

Latvia compared with Pakistan

	Latvia	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	2.7× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	76 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	13 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	6.6%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	6°C	26°C
Languages	Latvian	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 Latvia, living in Latvia and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 4,030 a month at the same level in Latvia (about Rs 1,240,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Latvia more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 2.7 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 Latvia?

Mainly Latvian. English is spoken by some people, mostly in cities.

Can I actually move to Latvia?

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