Moving to Alaska from Iraq

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Iraq to Alaska? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Iraq to Alaska, you would find that Alaska is 4.2 times more expensive than Iraq overall. A IQD98,337,025 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly $216,721 in Alaska to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Juneau averages 49°F vs 87°F in Baghdad, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iraq and Alaska.

What does your salary buy?

IQD98,337,025 $216,721

To maintain the same standard of living in Alaska

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 6.3 times more

Groceries

pay 4.7 times more

Transportation

pay 55.1% more

Housing

pay 4.6 times more

Childcare

pay 6.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.2 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IQD = 0.0008 USD (July 2026)

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?

What the data shows about people moving from Iraq to Alaska.

Moved in 2023
3,690 ↑ 43% vs 2022

people moved from Iraq to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Alaska compared to Iraq.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

IQ
30.4%
AK
31.9%

Iraq performs better than Alaska across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

IQ
49.0%
AK
90.8%

Alaska performs significantly better than Iraq across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IQ
15.5%
AK
5.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

IQ
$12,600
AK
$75,882

Alaska performs significantly better than Iraq across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IQ
73.2 yrs
AK
76.6 yrs

Alaska performs significantly better than Iraq across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Baghdad Rain: 4.8 in/yr (123 mm)
87° / 59°F

Avg. annual high / low

Juneau Rain: 92.2 in/yr (2342 mm)
49° / 38°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Baghdad Juneau
Jan–Mar 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) 56°/42°F (13°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) 61°/49°F (16°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) 42°/33°F (5°/0°C)
View all months
Month Baghdad Juneau
Jan 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) 35°/26°F (1.4°/-3.2°C)
Feb 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.4°C)
Mar 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) 41°/30°F (4.9°/-1.1°C)
Apr 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) 49°/35°F (9.5°/1.8°C)
May 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) 57°/42°F (13.8°/5.7°C)
Jun 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) 62°/48°F (16.9°/9.1°C)
Jul 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.8°C)
Aug 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.1°C)
Sep 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) 57°/46°F (13.7°/7.7°C)
Oct 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.9°C)
Nov 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) 40°/31°F (4.3°/-0.3°C)
Dec 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.3°C)

Data: Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Iraq passport

Iraq passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Iraq passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Iraq

Visa Online (e-Visa)
United States passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Iraq.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Alaska than Iraq?

On average Alaska is around 189% pricier than Iraq, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Alaska?

Budget about $54,180 for 3 months in Alaska (based on a IQD98,337,025 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Alaska?

From major Alaska cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iraq and Alaska are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Alaska compared to Iraq?

Iraq performs better than Alaska across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Alaska compared to Iraq?

The average high temperature in Juneau is 49°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Juneau receives around 92.2 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.

What language do they speak in Alaska?

The official language in Alaska is English. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.

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At a Glance

IQ
Population 40,462,701 710,231
Currency Iraqi Dinar (IQD) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Arabic, Aramaic, Sorani English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +964 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 104 911