What if you were born in Panama?

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

Try it with my numbers

Panama City skyline on the bay. Photo: Nico2panama, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Panama

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Panama: PAB 1,190Rs 330,000
Rent (city centre): PAB 345
Transport (public transport): PAB 61
Food: PAB 172
Saved: PAB 179

Family of four

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

Take-home in Panama: PAB 2,740Rs 759,000
Rent (suburbs): PAB 699
Transport (public transport): PAB 140
Food: PAB 466
Saved: PAB 411

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Panama: PAB 4,440Rs 1,230,000
Rent (city centre): PAB 1,090
Transport (car): PAB 416
Food: PAB 544
Saved: PAB 1,240

Try it with my own income

A day in Panama City

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

Morning
You wake up in Panama City, a city of mild winters around 27°C and warm summers around 28°C, and an umbrella is never far away.
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 Spanish at work; English helps in the big cities.
Lunch
Lunch might be sancocho: a chicken soup with root vegetables and coriander.
Evening
You get home with PAB 411 saved each month. You stay alert in some areas at night.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast, the mountains and forest trails.

Panama compared with Pakistan

	Panama	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	2.2× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	80 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	15 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	8.4%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	27°C	26°C
Languages	Spanish	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	PAB	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 Panama, living in Panama and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 PAB 2,740 a month at the same level in Panama (about Rs 759,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Panama more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 2.2 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 Panama?

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

Can I actually move to Panama?

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