Moving to Croatia from Iraq

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Iraq to Croatia, you would find that Croatia is 2.7 times more expensive than Iraq overall. A IQD98,250,000 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly HRK1,041,358 in Croatia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Croatian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Zagreb averages 60°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 Croatia.

What does your salary buy?

IQD98,250,000 HRK1,041,358

To maintain the same standard of living in Croatia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 5.5 times more

Groceries

pay 97.1% more

Transportation

pay 91.4% more

Housing

pay 2.0 times more

Childcare

pay 3.2 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 57.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IQD = 0.0049 HRK (June 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 Croatia.

Living there in 2020
75 ↓ 9% vs 2015

people born in Iraq live in Croatia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Croatia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Croatia compared to Iraq.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IQ
9.4
HR
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IQ
21.5
HR
8.1

Croatia 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
HR
$3,229
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IQ
10.1
HR
36.1

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IQ
87.0
HR
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IQ
5.2t
HR
4.8t

Croatia 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
HR
27.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IQ
59.6%
HR
1.5%

Croatia performs significantly better than Iraq across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IQ
15.5%
HR
6.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IQ
$12,600
HR
$41,300

Croatia generally does better on employment & economy, though Iraq leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IQ
73.2 yrs
HR
77.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IQ
19.6
HR
8.7

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

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

Zagreb Rain: 33.7 in/yr (856 mm)
60° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Baghdad Zagreb
Jan–Mar 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) 44°/29°F (7°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) 69°/48°F (21°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) 50°/35°F (10°/2°C)
View all months
Month Baghdad Zagreb
Jan 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) 38°/25°F (3.1°/-4.0°C)
Feb 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) 43°/28°F (6.1°/-2.5°C)
Mar 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) 52°/34°F (11.3°/0.9°C)
Apr 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) 62°/41°F (16.4°/4.9°C)
May 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.2°C)
Jun 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) 76°/55°F (24.6°/12.7°C)
Jul 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) 80°/58°F (26.7°/14.2°C)
Aug 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) 79°/57°F (26.2°/13.7°C)
Sep 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) 72°/51°F (22.3°/10.4°C)
Oct 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) 61°/42°F (16.2°/5.8°C)
Nov 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) 49°/35°F (9.3°/1.8°C)
Dec 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) 40°/29°F (4.4°/-1.9°C)

Data: Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology, Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Iraq passport

Iraq passport holder visiting Croatia

Visa Required
Iraq passport holders need a visa to enter Croatia.
Croatia passport

Croatia passport holder visiting Iraq

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Croatia 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 Croatia than Iraq?

On average Croatia is around 115% pricier than Iraq, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Croatia?

Budget about HRK260,340 for 3 months in Croatia (based on a IQD98,250,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Croatia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Croatia: 27.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Croatia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Croatia safe for expats?

Croatia performs significantly better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Croatia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.

How is healthcare in Croatia compared to Iraq?

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Croatia, compared to 10.1 in Iraq. Croatia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).

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

The average high temperature in Zagreb is 60°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Zagreb receives around 33.7 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.

What language do they speak in Croatia?

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

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At a Glance

IQ HR
Population 40,462,701 4,188,853
Currency Iraqi Dinar (IQD) Croatian Kuna (HRK)
Languages Arabic, Aramaic, Sorani Croatian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +964 +385
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 104 112