What if you were born in Spain?

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

Try it with my numbers

Ronda, Andalusia. Photo: Tesla Delacroix, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Spain

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Spain: EUR 2,500Rs 770,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 724
Transport (public transport): EUR 96
Food: EUR 362
Saved: EUR 376

Family of four

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

Take-home in Spain: EUR 5,750Rs 1,770,000
Rent (suburbs): EUR 1,470
Transport (public transport): EUR 220
Food: EUR 978
Saved: EUR 863

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Spain: EUR 9,320Rs 2,870,000
Rent (city centre): EUR 2,280
Transport (car): EUR 873
Food: EUR 1,140
Saved: EUR 2,610

Try it with my own income

A day in Madrid

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

Morning
You wake up in Madrid, a city of cool winters around 4°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 Spanish at work; English helps in the big cities.
Lunch
Lunch might be paella: saffron rice cooked in a wide pan with seafood or chicken.
Evening
You get home with EUR 863 saved each month. Walking home late feels completely normal here.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains.

Spain compared with Pakistan

	Spain	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	3.0× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	84 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	10 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	10.4%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	14°C	26°C
Languages	Spanish, Catalan, Galician, Basque	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	EUR	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 Spain, living in Spain and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 EUR 5,750 a month at the same level in Spain (about Rs 1,770,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Spain more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 3.0 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 Spain?

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

Can I actually move to Spain?

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