Moving to Iraq from Iran
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iran to Iraq — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iran to Iraq, you would find that Iraq is 84.8% more expensive than Iran overall. A IRR101,328,750,000 salary in Iran would need to be roughly IQD59,409,810 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 72°F in Tehran, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iran to Iraq.
What does your salary buy?
IRR101,328,750,000 → IQD59,409,810
To maintain the same standard of living in Iraq
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 5.3% less
Groceries
pay 25.4% more
Transportation
pay 2.6 times more
Housing
pay 2.7 times more
Childcare
pay 93.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.8 times more
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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Iran to Iraq, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iran to Iraq.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iran performs better than Iraq across all safety metrics.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Iran 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
Iran generally does better on environment, though Iraq leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Iraq generally does better on infrastructure, though Iran leads in electricity per capita.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Iran performs better than Iraq across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Iran generally does better on family life, though Iraq leads in education spending.
Data: 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 | Tehran | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tehran | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) |
| Mar | 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) |
| Apr | 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) |
| May | 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) |
| Jun | 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) |
| Aug | 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) |
| Oct | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) |
| Nov | 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) |
| Dec | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) |
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and SeismologyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iran 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.
Iran passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa Free
Iraq passport holder visiting Iran
Visa FreeData: 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 Iran?
Yes — Iraq is on average about 40% cheaper than Iran. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Iraq?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly IQD14,852,452 in Iraq on a IRR101,328,750,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Iraq?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Iraq has 14.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Iraq safe for expats?
Iran performs better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iraq is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.4 in Iran.
How is healthcare in Iraq compared to Iran?
Iran 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 15.1 in Iran. Iraq scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iran: 74).
What's the weather like in Iraq compared to Iran?
The average high temperature in Baghdad is 87°F, compared to 72°F in Tehran. Baghdad receives around 4.8 in of rainfall per year, while Tehran gets 9.1 in.
What language do they speak in Iraq?
The official languages in Iraq are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. In Iran, the official language is Persian (Farsi).
