Moving to Cambodia from Iraq

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Iraq to Cambodia, you would find that Cambodia is 42.9% more expensive than Iraq overall. A IQD98,131,745 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly KHR513,213,590 in Cambodia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Khmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

IQD98,131,745 KHR513,213,590

To maintain the same standard of living in Cambodia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 61.3% more

Groceries

pay 2.1 times more

Transportation

pay 51.0% more

Housing

pay 1.5% less

Childcare

pay 2.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 28.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IQD = 3.09 KHR (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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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Cambodia compared to Iraq.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2013

per 100,000 people per year

IQ
9.4
KH
1.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IQ
21.5
KH
18.8

Cambodia performs significantly better than Iraq across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

IQ
$843
KH
$350
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IQ
10.1
KH
2.1

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cambodia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IQ
87.0
KH
60.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IQ
5.2t
KH
1.1t

Cambodia performs significantly better than Iraq across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IQ
14.4
KH
3.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IQ
59.6%
KH
1.0%

Iraq generally does better on infrastructure, though Cambodia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IQ
15.5%
KH
0.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IQ
$12,600
KH
$5,100

Iraq generally does better on employment & economy, though Cambodia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IQ
73.2 yrs
KH
70.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IQ
19.6
KH
29.6

Iraq generally does better on family life, though Cambodia leads in literacy rate.

Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

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

Phnom Penh Rain: 51.8 in/yr (1316 mm)
90° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Baghdad Phnom Penh
Jan–Mar 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) 94°/78°F (34°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) 90°/76°F (32°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) 87°/73°F (30°/23°C)
View all months
Month Baghdad Phnom Penh
Jan 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C)
Feb 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C)
Mar 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C)
Apr 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C)
May 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C)
Jun 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C)
Jul 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C)
Aug 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C)
Sep 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C)
Oct 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C)
Nov 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C)
Dec 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C)

Data: Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology, Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Iraq passport

Iraq passport holder visiting Cambodia

Visa on Arrival
Iraq passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Cambodia.
Cambodia passport

Cambodia passport holder visiting Iraq

Visa Required
Cambodia passport holders need a visa to enter 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 Cambodia than Iraq?

On average Cambodia is around 69% pricier than Iraq, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Cambodia?

Budget about KHR128,303,398 for 3 months in Cambodia (based on a IQD98,131,745 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Cambodia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Cambodia: 3.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Cambodia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Cambodia safe for expats?

Cambodia performs significantly better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cambodia is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.

How is healthcare in Cambodia compared to Iraq?

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cambodia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Cambodia, compared to 10.1 in Iraq. Cambodia scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).

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

The average high temperature in Phnom Penh is 90°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Phnom Penh receives around 51.8 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.

What language do they speak in Cambodia?

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

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At a Glance

IQ KH
Population 40,462,701 16,713,015
Currency Iraqi Dinar (IQD) Cambodian Riel (KHR)
Languages Arabic, Aramaic, Sorani Khmer
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +964 +855
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 104 117