Pakistan vs South Africa
Single · Comfortable · $3,000/mo
Pakistan is approximately 91% less expensive than South Africa 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 rowIslamabad
Pakistan
Pretoria
South Africa
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 91% less than South Africa, though South Africa has significantly faster internet infrastructure. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Pakistan is approximately 91% less expensive than South Africa 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 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
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Living Costs (excl. rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness Scores
About South Africa
Safety is the dealbreaker: a 25.3 safety index puts South Africa firmly in caution territory, with the advisory level of 2 underscoring that. Retirees on fixed budgets should look past this for the math: $2,050/mo qualifies for the retirement visa, while rent runs under $500/mo in city centers. Low cost, low safety, weigh accordingly.
$1,873/mo
Not sure which South Africa 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 | Pakistan | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Travel Advisory | Level 3: Reconsider Travel | Level 2: Increased Caution |
| Quality of Life Index | 97.4 | 148.7 +51.3 |
| Healthcare Index | 59.4 | 63.9 +4.5 |
| Safety Index | 57.8 +32.3 | 25.5 |
| Cost of Living Index | 20.3 +18.4 | 38.7 |
| Living Costs (Single, excl. rent) | $354.5 +290.5 | $645 |
| Living Costs (Family, excl. rent) | $1,191.1 +1,108.5 | $2,299.6 |
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $135.85 +345.81 | $481.66 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $75.93 +313.54 | $389.47 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $309 +665.15 | $974.15 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $176.97 +580.43 | $757.4 |
| Avg Internet Speed | 19.07 Mbps | 50.83 Mbps +31.8 |
| Ballpark effective tax rate ($80,000) | 21.0% +6.0pt | 27.0% |
| Top income tax rate | 35.0% +10.0pt | 45.0% |
| Capital gains tax rate | 15.0% +3.0pt | 18.0% |
| Dividend tax rate | 25.0% | 20.0% +5.0pt |
Rights & Inclusion
Published indices. Legal protection and public attitudes are kept separate, and neither is folded into a single score.
Same-sex relations
Criminalized, death penalty possible
Pakistan
Same-sex relations
Not criminalized
South Africa
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 Pakistan and South Africa, side by side.
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