Kenya vs Pakistan
Single · Comfortable · $3,000/mo
Pakistan is approximately 42% less expensive than Kenya based on cost of living including rent. This makes Pakistan a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Pakistan has a FIRE Score of 100/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement.
The country's safety index is 57.8, suggesting moderate safety levels.
Recommended profile: Pakistan is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
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Best in rowNairobi
Kenya
Islamabad
Pakistan
Country-level averages. N/A or Not enough data means no figure is published for that country. * Women's inclusion scores are unverified.
About these countries
About Pakistan
Safety is the dealbreaker here: a Level 3 US travel advisory, negative political stability score, and no retirement visa, though a digital nomad visa is available. Only extreme-budget FIRE seekers should push past that, since $354.50/mo covers living costs and a 1BR in the center runs just $135.85. Everyone else should treat the 4/10 ease-of-access score as a hard stop.
Pakistan costs roughly 42% less than Kenya. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Pakistan is approximately 42% less expensive than Kenya based on cost of living including rent. This makes Pakistan a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Pakistan has a FIRE Score of 100/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement.
The country's safety index is 57.8, suggesting moderate safety levels.
Recommended profile: Pakistan is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
About Kenya
Kenya suits budget-focused retirees comfortable trading big-city safety for cheap living, not those chasing polish. Rent outside the center runs $140.77/mo and English is widely spoken, but the Safety Index sits at just 44 with low expat safety ratings. The Kenya does not offer a specific retirement visa, but long-stay options exist needs only $2,000/mo income, though political stability at -0.71 and a complex citizenship path mean this is a residency, not a homecoming.
$2,245/mo
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Living Costs (excl. rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness Scores
About Pakistan
Safety is the dealbreaker here: a Level 3 US travel advisory, negative political stability score, and no retirement visa, though a digital nomad visa is available. Only extreme-budget FIRE seekers should push past that, since $354.50/mo covers living costs and a 1BR in the center runs just $135.85. Everyone else should treat the 4/10 ease-of-access score as a hard stop.
$2,510/mo
Not sure which Pakistan visa you qualify for?
Answer 11 questions and get a personalized match in under 2 minutes.
Living Costs (excl. rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness Scores
Battle of Lifestyles
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| Metric | Kenya | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| Travel Advisory | Level 2: Increased Caution | Level 3: Reconsider Travel |
| Quality of Life Index | 98.1 +0.7 | 97.4 |
| Healthcare Index | 62.2 +2.8 | 59.4 |
| Safety Index | 44.8 | 57.8 +13.0 |
| Cost of Living Index | 28.9 | 20.3 +8.6 |
| Living Costs (Single, excl. rent) | $496.6 | $354.5 +142.1 |
| Living Costs (Family, excl. rent) | $1,821.4 | $1,191.1 +630.3 |
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $258.58 | $135.85 +122.73 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $140.77 | $75.93 +64.84 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $808.56 | $309 +499.56 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $385.74 | $176.97 +208.77 |
| Avg Internet Speed | 25.58 Mbps +6.5 | 19.07 Mbps |
| Ballpark effective tax rate ($80,000) | 21.0% | 21.0% |
| Top income tax rate | 35.0% | 35.0% |
| Capital gains tax rate | 15.0% | 15.0% |
| Dividend tax rate | 15.0% +10.0pt | 25.0% |
Rights & Inclusion
Published indices. Legal protection and public attitudes are kept separate, and neither is folded into a single score.
Same-sex relations
Criminalized
Kenya
Same-sex relations
Criminalized, death penalty possible
Pakistan
LGBTQ+ legal protection score
Attitudes
Scores run from 0 to 100. Women's inclusion scores come from the Georgetown WPS Index and are currently unverified. Sources: Equaldex, ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map, Spartacus Gay Travel Index and Georgetown's Women, Peace and Security Index. See the full inclusion ranking.
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Income thresholds, fees, processing time and residency paths for Kenya and Pakistan, side by side.
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