What if you were born in Sweden?

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

Try it with my numbers

Gamla stan waterfront, Stockholm. Photo: OleNeitzel, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Sweden

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Sweden: SEK 37,500Rs 1,040,000
Rent (city centre): SEK 10,800
Transport (public transport): SEK 1,430
Food: SEK 5,410
Saved: SEK 5,620

Family of four

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

Take-home in Sweden: SEK 86,000Rs 2,400,000
Rent (suburbs): SEK 21,900
Transport (public transport): SEK 3,290
Food: SEK 14,600
Saved: SEK 12,900

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Sweden: SEK 139,000Rs 3,880,000
Rent (city centre): SEK 34,100
Transport (car): SEK 13,100
Food: SEK 17,100
Saved: SEK 39,100

Try it with my own income

A day in Stockholm

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

Morning
You wake up in Stockholm, a city of snowy winters around -3°C and cool summers around 18°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 Swedish at home, and English works almost everywhere.
Lunch
Lunch might be meatballs with lingonberry jam, and cinnamon buns.
Evening
You get home with SEK 12,900 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast, the mountains and forest trails, and skiing in winter.

Sweden compared with Pakistan

	Sweden	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	4.0× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	84 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	5 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	8.7%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	7°C	26°C
Languages	Swedish	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	SEK	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 Sweden, living in Sweden and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 SEK 86,000 a month at the same level in Sweden (about Rs 2,400,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Sweden more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 4.0 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 Sweden?

Mainly Swedish. English is widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Sweden?

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