What if you were born in Thailand?

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

Try it with my numbers

Ko Phi Phi Le, Krabi. Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Thailand

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Thailand: THB 20,400Rs 166,000
Rent (city centre): THB 5,880
Transport (public transport): THB 1,040
Food: THB 2,940
Saved: THB 3,050

Family of four

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

Take-home in Thailand: THB 46,800Rs 382,000
Rent (suburbs): THB 11,900
Transport (public transport): THB 2,380
Food: THB 7,950
Saved: THB 7,010

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Thailand: THB 75,800Rs 619,000
Rent (city centre): THB 18,600
Transport (car): THB 7,090
Food: THB 9,280
Saved: THB 21,200

Try it with my own income

A day in Bangkok

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

Morning
You wake up in Bangkok, a city of mild winters around 25°C and hot summers near 31°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
Everything happens in Thai; English is not widely spoken.
Lunch
Lunch might be tom yum (a hot and sour soup with lemongrass and prawns) and green curry with coconut milk.
Evening
You get home with THB 7,010 saved each month. You stay alert in some areas at night.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains.

Thailand compared with Pakistan

	Thailand	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	1.4× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	77 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	23 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	0.8%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	28°C	26°C
Languages	Thai	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	THB	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 Thailand, living in Thailand and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 THB 46,800 a month at the same level in Thailand (about Rs 382,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Thailand more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 1.4 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 Thailand?

Mainly Thai. English is not widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Thailand?

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