Moving to Iraq from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Iraq? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Iraq, you would find that Iraq is 50.0% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly IQD43,997,041 in Iraq to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Baghdad averages 87°F vs 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Costa Rica and Iraq.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,997,640 → IQD43,997,041
To maintain the same standard of living in Iraq
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 61.7% less
Groceries
pay 57.7% less
Transportation
pay 38.0% less
Housing
pay 37.6% less
Childcare
pay 75.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 27.1% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iraq compared to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Iraq leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iraq leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica performs better than Iraq across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Costa Rica performs better than Iraq across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Iraq leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Costa Rica performs better than Iraq across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | San Jose | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Iraq. To live, work, or study long-term in Iraq, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Iraq's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa Required
Iraq passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iraq than Costa Rica?
On average Iraq is about 55% less expensive than Costa Rica, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iraq?
Budget about IQD10,999,260 for 3 months in Iraq (based on a CRC33,997,640 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iraq?
Connectivity is usually fine (Iraq: 14.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Iraq offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Iraq safe for expats?
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Iraq leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Iraq is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Iraq compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iraq leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 10.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Iraq, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Iraq scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Iraq compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Baghdad is 87°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Baghdad receives around 4.8 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Iraq?
The official languages in Iraq are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
