What if you were born in Uzbekistan?

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

Try it with my numbers

Registan madrasas, Samarkand. Photo: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Uzbekistan

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

Single, starting out

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

Take-home in Uzbekistan: UZS 4,210,000Rs 97,600
Rent (city centre): UZS 1,220,000
Transport (public transport): UZS 215,000
Food: UZS 608,000
Saved: UZS 631,000

Family of four

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

Take-home in Uzbekistan: UZS 9,660,000Rs 224,000
Rent (suburbs): UZS 2,460,000
Transport (public transport): UZS 493,000
Food: UZS 1,640,000
Saved: UZS 1,450,000

High-earning couple

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

Take-home in Uzbekistan: UZS 15,660,000Rs 364,000
Rent (city centre): UZS 3,830,000
Transport (car): UZS 1,470,000
Food: UZS 1,920,000
Saved: UZS 4,390,000

Try it with my own income

A day in Tashkent

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

Morning
You wake up in Tashkent, a city of snowy winters around 0°C and warm summers around 29°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 Uzbek; English is not widely spoken.
Lunch
Lunch might be plov: rice cooked with lamb, carrots and onions in a big pot.
Evening
You get home with UZS 1,450,000 saved each month. Most neighbourhoods feel safe after dark.
Weekend
Weekends are for the mountains.

Uzbekistan compared with Pakistan

	Uzbekistan	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	1.2× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	73 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	33 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	4.6%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	14°C	26°C
Languages	Uzbek, Russian	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	UZS	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 Uzbekistan, living in Uzbekistan and the visa checker.

Questions

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

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 UZS 9,660,000 a month at the same level in Uzbekistan (about Rs 224,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Uzbekistan more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 1.2 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 Uzbekistan?

Mainly Uzbek, Russian. English is not widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Uzbekistan?

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