What if you were born in Norway?

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

Try it with my numbers

Geirangerfjord. Photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Norway

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Norway: NOK 54,900Rs 1,590,000
Rent (city centre): NOK 15,900
Transport (public transport): NOK 2,100
Food: NOK 7,940
Saved: NOK 8,240

Family of four

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

Take-home in Norway: NOK 126,000Rs 3,660,000
Rent (suburbs): NOK 32,200
Transport (public transport): NOK 4,830
Food: NOK 21,500
Saved: NOK 18,900

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Norway: NOK 205,000Rs 5,930,000
Rent (city centre): NOK 50,100
Transport (car): NOK 19,100
Food: NOK 25,000
Saved: NOK 57,300

Try it with my own income

A day in Oslo

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

Morning
You wake up in Oslo, a city of snowy winters around -6°C and cool summers around 16°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 Norwegian at home, and English works almost everywhere.
Lunch
Lunch might be salmon, and brown cheese (brunost).
Evening
You get home with NOK 18,900 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains, and skiing in winter.

Norway compared with Pakistan

	Norway	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	4.2× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	83 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	6 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	4.6%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	5°C	26°C
Languages	Norwegian	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	NOK	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 Norway, living in Norway and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 NOK 126,000 a month at the same level in Norway (about Rs 3,660,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Norway more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 4.2 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 Norway?

Mainly Norwegian. English is widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Norway?

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