What if you were born in New Zealand?

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

Try it with my numbers

Hooker Valley and Aoraki / Mount Cook. Photo: Pseudopanax at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in New Zealand

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in New Zealand: NZD 6,190Rs 956,000
Rent (city centre): NZD 1,790
Transport (public transport): NZD 421
Food: NZD 895
Saved: NZD 929

Family of four

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

Take-home in New Zealand: NZD 14,200Rs 2,200,000
Rent (suburbs): NZD 3,630
Transport (public transport): NZD 967
Food: NZD 2,420
Saved: NZD 2,130

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in New Zealand: NZD 23,100Rs 3,560,000
Rent (city centre): NZD 5,650
Transport (car): NZD 2,160
Food: NZD 2,820
Saved: NZD 6,460

Try it with my own income

A day in Auckland

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

Morning
You wake up in Auckland, a city of mild winters around 11°C and cool summers around 20°C.
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 English.
Lunch
Lunch might be hāngī: meat and vegetables cooked in an earth oven, and pavlova.
Evening
You get home with NZD 2,130 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains.

New Zealand compared with Pakistan

	New Zealand	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	3.9× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	82 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	7 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	5.1%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	16°C	26°C
Languages	English, Māori	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	NZD	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 New Zealand, living in New Zealand and the visa checker.

Questions

How much would I earn if I was born in New Zealand?

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 NZD 14,200 a month at the same level in New Zealand (about Rs 2,200,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is New Zealand more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 3.9 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 New Zealand?

Mainly English, Māori. English is an official language.

Can I actually move to New Zealand?

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