What if you were born in Peru?

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

Try it with my numbers

Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu. Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Peru

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Peru: PEN 2,660Rs 216,000
Rent (city centre): PEN 768
Transport (public transport): PEN 181
Food: PEN 384
Saved: PEN 399

Family of four

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

Take-home in Peru: PEN 6,100Rs 495,000
Rent (suburbs): PEN 1,560
Transport (public transport): PEN 415
Food: PEN 1,040
Saved: PEN 916

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Peru: PEN 9,900Rs 803,000
Rent (city centre): PEN 2,420
Transport (car): PEN 926
Food: PEN 1,210
Saved: PEN 2,770

Try it with my own income

A day in Lima

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

Morning
You wake up in Lima, a city of mild winters around 17°C and cool summers around 20°C, and rain is rare.
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
Everything happens in Spanish; English is not widely spoken.
Lunch
Lunch might be ceviche: raw fish "cooked" in lime juice with chilli and onion.
Evening
You get home with PEN 916 saved each month. You stay alert in some areas at night.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast, the mountains and forest trails.

Peru compared with Pakistan

	Peru	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	2.3× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	78 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	31 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	5.1%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	18°C	26°C
Languages	Spanish, Quechua	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	PEN	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 Peru, living in Peru and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 PEN 6,100 a month at the same level in Peru (about Rs 495,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Peru more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 2.3 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 Peru?

Mainly Spanish, Quechua. English is not widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Peru?

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