What if you were born in Netherlands?

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

Try it with my numbers

Canal houses in Amsterdam. Photo: Diliff, CC BY 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Netherlands

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 Netherlands: EUR 3,700Rs 1,140,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 1,070
Transport (public transport): EUR 142
Food: EUR 535
Saved: EUR 556

Family of four

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

Take-home in Netherlands: EUR 8,510Rs 2,620,000
Rent (suburbs): EUR 2,170
Transport (public transport): EUR 325
Food: EUR 1,450
Saved: EUR 1,280

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Netherlands: EUR 13,800Rs 4,240,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 3,380
Transport (car): EUR 1,290
Food: EUR 1,690
Saved: EUR 3,860

Try it with my own income

A day in Amsterdam

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

Morning
You wake up in Amsterdam, a city of cool winters around 4°C and cool summers around 18°C.
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
You speak Dutch at home, and English works almost everywhere.
Lunch
Lunch might be stroopwafels, herring and Gouda cheese.
Evening
You get home with EUR 1,280 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast.

Netherlands compared with Pakistan

	Netherlands	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	3.8× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	82 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	9 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	3.9%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	11°C	26°C
Languages	Dutch	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 Netherlands, living in Netherlands and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 8,510 a month at the same level in Netherlands (about Rs 2,620,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Netherlands more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 3.8 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 Netherlands?

Mainly Dutch. English is widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Netherlands?

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