What if you were born in Romania?

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

Try it with my numbers

Peleș Castle in Sinaia. Photo: Myrabella, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Romania

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Romania: RON 8,210Rs 475,000
Rent (city centre): RON 2,370
Transport (public transport): RON 419
Food: RON 1,190
Saved: RON 1,230

Family of four

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

Take-home in Romania: RON 18,900Rs 1,090,000
Rent (suburbs): RON 4,810
Transport (public transport): RON 962
Food: RON 3,210
Saved: RON 2,830

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Romania: RON 30,600Rs 1,770,000
Rent (city centre): RON 7,480
Transport (car): RON 2,860
Food: RON 3,740
Saved: RON 8,560

Try it with my own income

A day in Bucharest

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

Morning
You wake up in Bucharest, a city of snowy winters around -2°C and warm summers around 25°C.
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 Romanian at work; English helps in the big cities.
Lunch
Lunch might be sarmale: cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice.
Evening
You get home with RON 2,830 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains, and skiing in winter.

Romania compared with Pakistan

	Romania	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	2.1× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	76 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	16 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	6.0%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	12°C	26°C
Languages	Romanian	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	RON	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 Romania, living in Romania and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 RON 18,900 a month at the same level in Romania (about Rs 1,090,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Romania more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 2.1 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 Romania?

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

Can I actually move to Romania?

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