What if you were born in South Korea?

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

Try it with my numbers

Geunjeongjeon Hall, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul. Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in South Korea

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in South Korea: KRW 3,250,000Rs 674,000
Rent (city centre): KRW 939,000
Transport (public transport): KRW 124,000
Food: KRW 470,000
Saved: KRW 488,000

Family of four

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

Take-home in South Korea: KRW 7,470,000Rs 1,550,000
Rent (suburbs): KRW 1,900,000
Transport (public transport): KRW 286,000
Food: KRW 1,270,000
Saved: KRW 1,120,000

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in South Korea: KRW 12,110,000Rs 2,510,000
Rent (city centre): KRW 2,960,000
Transport (car): KRW 1,130,000
Food: KRW 1,480,000
Saved: KRW 3,390,000

Try it with my own income

A day in Seoul

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

Morning
You wake up in Seoul, a city of snowy winters around -3°C and warm summers around 25°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 Korean at work; English helps in the big cities.
Lunch
Lunch might be kimchi: spicy fermented cabbage, served with almost every meal.
Evening
You get home with KRW 1,120,000 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast, the mountains and forest trails, and skiing in winter.

South Korea compared with Pakistan

	South Korea	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	2.7× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	84 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	22 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	2.7%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	11°C	26°C
Languages	Korean	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	KRW	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 South Korea, living in South Korea and the visa checker.

Questions

How much would I earn if I was born in South Korea?

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 KRW 7,470,000 a month at the same level in South Korea (about Rs 1,550,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is South Korea more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 2.7 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 South Korea?

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

Can I actually move to South Korea?

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