Moving to Cuba from Iraq

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iraq to Cuba — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Iraq to Cuba, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Iraq and Cuba stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

IQ
9.4
CU
4.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IQ
21.5
CU
5.4

Cuba 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
CU
$2,575
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IQ
10.1
CU
94.3

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cuba 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
CU
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IQ
5.2t
CU
1.9t

Cuba 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
CU
2.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IQ
59.6%
CU
23.9%

Iraq generally does better on infrastructure, though Cuba 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%
CU
1.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IQ
$12,600
CU
$12,300

Iraq generally does better on employment & economy, though Cuba 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
CU
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IQ
19.6
CU
4.1

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

Data: 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

Havana Rain: 46.8 in/yr (1189 mm)
84° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Baghdad Havana
Jan–Mar 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) 80°/66°F (26°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) 85°/72°F (30°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) 88°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) 82°/70°F (28°/21°C)
View all months
Month Baghdad Havana
Jan 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) 78°/65°F (25.8°/18.6°C)
Feb 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.6°C)
Mar 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) 82°/67°F (27.6°/19.7°C)
Apr 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) 83°/70°F (28.6°/20.9°C)
May 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) 86°/72°F (29.8°/22.4°C)
Jun 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) 87°/74°F (30.5°/23.4°C)
Jul 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) 88°/75°F (31.3°/23.8°C)
Aug 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) 89°/75°F (31.6°/24.1°C)
Sep 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) 88°/75°F (31.0°/23.8°C)
Oct 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) 85°/73°F (29.2°/23.0°C)
Nov 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C)
Dec 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.5°C)

Data: Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology, Instituto de Meteorología Instituto de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Iraq passport

Iraq passport holder visiting Cuba

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

Cuba passport holder visiting Iraq

Visa Required
Cuba 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

Can I work remotely from Cuba?

With 2.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Cuba can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Iraq and Cuba.

Is Cuba safe for expats?

Cuba performs significantly better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cuba is 4.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.

How is healthcare in Cuba compared to Iraq?

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cuba leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 94.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Cuba, compared to 10.1 in Iraq. Cuba scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).

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

The average high temperature in Havana is 84°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Havana receives around 46.8 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.

What language do they speak in Cuba?

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

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At a Glance

IQ CU
Population 40,462,701 11,008,112
Currency Iraqi Dinar (IQD) Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC)
Languages Arabic, Aramaic, Sorani Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +964 +53
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 104 106