Pakistan

Pakistan

Southern Asia

Asia
16
Overall score
Low overall · Penalty applied · 96% data coverage
Language
Urdu, English
Currency
PKR
Citizenship
5 years
Personal tax
Progressive; rates vary by income type
Cost of living
$650 / mo (single)
Overall scoring rubric
38
Access

How easy it is to get in, stay, and build status.

17% of Overall
40Residence12%
34Citizenship and passport5%
57
Earning power

How far local income goes after prices.

25% of Overall
45Salary and work12%
69Buying power13%
40
Business and wealth

How friendly the country is for taxes, companies, and investing.

20% of Overall
45Taxes7%
42Business8%
30Investment5%
39
Daily life

How comfortable everyday life is for families and long stays.

25% of Overall
42Quality of life18%
30Education7%
26
Rights and institutions

How reliable freedoms and institutions are.

13% of Overall
31Freedom6%
22Rule of law7%

Safety (48) clears the 40 floor, so no penalty applies.

Penalty: Healthcare collapse (32) cut the overall score from 42 to 38. Healthcare measures life expectancy, child mortality, and health-system capacity and spending.

Penalty: Severe environmental risk (0) cut the overall score from 38 to 17. Environment measures air quality (PM2.5 exposure) and freshwater stress.

Penalty: Weak rights and institutions (26) cut the overall score from 17 to 16. Rights and institutions measures political and civil freedoms and the rule of law.

Overall score
Final weighted result
16

A low-cost Asian country with English as a main language, a 5-year citizenship path and low university tuition, but a weak passport and high taxes.

Pros

  • English as a main language
  • A 5-year citizenship path
  • Low university tuition

Cons

  • A weak passport
  • High taxes

Best for

StudentsEnglish speakers

Score profile

Access
Residence
40
Citizenship
44
Passport
18
Earning power
Salary & work
45
Buying power
69
Cost of living
100
Economy
53
Business and wealth
Taxes
45
Personal tax
45
Corporate tax
17
Business
42
Investment
30
Wealth building
50
Daily life
Safety
48
Healthcare
32
Environment
0
Infrastructure
50
Education
30
HDI
54
Rights and institutions
Freedom
31
Rule of law
22

Access

Residence

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any residence / visa decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Openness to residents
Limited
40
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines international migrant stock (40%), regulatory quality (20%), the breadth of named residence pathways (25%), and time to permanent residence (15%). Available indicators are reweighted.

Migrant stock1.7% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality-0.79 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible
StudentRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
WorkRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employedRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
PermanentRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Citizenship

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any citizenship decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Citizenship accessibility
Limited
44
Years required5 years
Dual allowedDepends on route and existing nationality
LanguageCheck the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
ResidenceTypical headline route: 5 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
NotesRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Passport

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any travel or visa decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Passport power
Low
18

Passport-index style mobility for the Pakistan passport. The score above is its world reach: the share of 198 destinations reachable without a prior visa.

36 / 198
Mobility
#103
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free12
  • On arrival21
  • eTA3
  • Visa required162

Passport Index style mobility data (2024–2025 estimate). Placeholder figures; verify current entry rules with each destination’s authority before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Moderate
45
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines output per worker (a proxy for wage potential at 40%), unemployment (35%) and labour-force participation (25%). Available indicators are reweighted; the curated profile fields remain below.

Output per worker$17,573 PPP (2024)
Unemployment5.4% (2025)
Participation52.3% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$112 · $397 PPP (2021)
Tech (IT & comms)$215 · $410 PPP (2021)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

FreelanceMarket access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job marketUse current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Good
69
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score estimates how far money goes for the typical person here. It combines GNI per capita at PPP (30%) and actual household consumption per person at PPP (15%) with a price-advantage term from the local price level (25%) that rewards lower prices, then adjusts for income equality via the Gini index (20%), so unequal economies don't ride a high average, plus price stability via consumer inflation (10%). Available indicators are reweighted; it is a comparison, not a personal budget estimate.

GNI / person$6,430 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$5,386 PPP (2024)
Price level23 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality33.5 Gini (2024)
Inflation3.5% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Excellent
100

Our 0–100 affordability score is derived from the local consumer price level (World Bank, US = 100): the cheaper everyday prices are, the higher it scores. Lower price level means your money goes further here.

Price level23 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

RentVaries substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly$650 / mo (single)
CitiesKarachi, Lahore, Islamabad
Economy
Economic strength
Moderate
53
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines income level (GDP and GNI per capita, output per worker), growth momentum (real GDP growth), price stability (inflation) and labour utilisation (unemployment). Available indicators are reweighted; the sector split and industry profile below are descriptive, not scored.

Output & income
GDP$407.3B (2025)
GDP / person$1,596 (2025)
GNI / person$6,430 PPP (2025)
GDP growth3.0% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation3.5% / yr (2025)
Unemployment5.4% (2025)
Output per worker$17,573 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture23.0% of GDP (2025)
Industry20.1% of GDP (2025)
Services50.9% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
Textiles & garmentsAgricultureCementFood processingPharmaceuticals
Top exports
Textiles & garmentsRiceLeatherSurgical instruments
TypeLower-middle-income, agri- and textiles-led
Key sectorsTextiles (the export mainstay), Agriculture, Remittances
SummaryA large agri- and textiles-based economy reliant on cotton, garment exports and remittances, prone to balance-of-payments stress.
CurrencyPakistani rupee

Business and wealth

Taxes

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Tax friendliness
Moderate
45
PersonalProgressive; rates vary by income type
CorporateGenerally 29% for companies
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit taxCheck current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign cosManagement, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply
Personal tax

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Personal tax
Moderate
45
PersonalProgressive; rates vary by income type
FreelanceRegistration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit taxCheck current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Corporate tax

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Corporate tax
Low
17
CorporateGenerally 29% for companies
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign cosManagement, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply
Business
Business friendliness
Limited
42
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score measures the operating environment without counting tax a second time: company formation and ownership rules contribute 40%, regulatory quality 30%, and government effectiveness 30%. Available indicators are reweighted; the values are shown below.

Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality-0.79 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness-0.60 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign co.Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local co.Available company forms and capital requirements vary
FreelanceRegistration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Investment

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any investment / tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Investing environment
Limited
30
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score measures market access without counting tax a second time: broker availability contributes 50%, equity-market depth 30%, and private credit depth 20%. Available indicators are reweighted.

Market cap17% of GDP (2025)
Private credit11% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxCheck current national and subnational rules
BrokersLocal and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax / investment decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Wealth accumulation
Moderate
50
How this score is calculated

How favourable Pakistan is for building wealth: earnings and business/investment upside, tax drag, and how much a typical income keeps after living costs. Estimated from the factors below.

Salary & work
Moderate
45
Business
Limited
42
Investment
Limited
30
Tax friendliness
Moderate
45
Cost of living
Excellent
100

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Moderate
48
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines personal safety (intentional homicide rate at 50%), political stability and absence of violence (30%), and control of corruption (20%). Available indicators are reweighted; the published values are shown below. Always check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Personal safety
Homicide rate4.3 per 100,000 (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption-1.07 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability-2.06 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Limited
32
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines health outcomes (life expectancy at 25% and under-5 mortality at 20%) with system capacity (physicians at 20% and hospital beds at 15% per 1,000 people) and health spending per capita (20%). Available indicators are reweighted; the published values are shown below.

Outcomes
Life expectancy67.8 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality56.0 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians1.16 per 1,000 (2021)
Hospital beds0.63 per 1,000 (2020)
Health spending$152 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemPublic/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
InsuranceCheck residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Avg costDepends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage
Environment
Environment score
Low
0
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines annual population-weighted PM2.5 exposure at 60% with freshwater stress at 40%. Lower exposure and lower water stress score better. Air quality alone can produce a score because it covers most countries; water stress alone cannot.

Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure58.4 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress110.0% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Moderate
50
How this score is calculated

The score combines digital access, resilience and download performance (30%), electricity access and network losses (30%), and transport infrastructure covering rail, logistics and aviation (40%). Available inputs are reweighted, but a country needs both digital and transport data to receive a score.

Digital infrastructure
Internet use57.3% (2024)
Internet resilience42 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed46 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed49 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access95.6% (2023)
Grid losses15.4% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality2.20 / 5 (2018)
Rail density10.1 km / 1,000 km² (2019)
Air connectivity164 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Limited
30
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines attainment (expected schooling at 30% and mean schooling at 25%) with participation (tertiary enrolment at 25%) and public investment (government education spending at 20%). Available indicators are reweighted; tuition and study rules remain separate profile fields below.

Attainment
Expected schooling7.9 years (2023)
Mean schooling4.3 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment11% gross (2024)
Education spending1.9% of GDP (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition$2,000-10,000 / yr
Public uniVaries by institution, programme, and student nationality
LanguagesUrdu, English
Student workRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
HDI
Human development score
Moderate
54
How this score is calculated

The UN Human Development Index is the geometric mean of three dimension indices (a long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living), shown on a 0–100 map scale (HDI × 100). The 2023 UNDP inputs behind each dimension are listed below.

HDI0.544 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy67.6 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling7.9 years (2023)
Mean schooling4.3 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$5,501 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Limited
31
How this score is calculated

The score weights Freedom House’s 0–100 Freedom in the World score at 60% and its Freedom on the Net score at 40%. If either report does not cover a country, the available score is used alone. Scores of 70 and above are rated “Free”, 40–69 “Partly free”, and below 40 “Not free”.

Freedom in the World33 / 100 (Not free)
Freedom on the Net27 / 100 (Not free)
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Low
22
How this score is calculated

The World Bank’s Rule of Law indicator captures how well contracts are enforced and how independent and effective the courts, police and property-rights regime are. We show its 0–100 percentile rank, where higher means stronger, more predictable institutions.

Rule of Law percentile22 / 100
Resources

Mock data for demonstration only. Not legal or tax advice.