Moving to Israel from Iraq
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iraq to Israel — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iraq to Israel, you would find that Israel is 3.9 times more expensive than Iraq overall. A IQD98,250,000 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly ₪654,232 in Israel to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Jerusalem averages 72°F vs 87°F in Baghdad, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iraq to Israel.
What does your salary buy?
IQD98,250,000 → ₪654,232
To maintain the same standard of living in Israel
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 6.2 times more
Groceries
pay 2.8 times more
Transportation
pay 2.4 times more
Housing
pay 3.2 times more
Childcare
pay 6.7 times 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 Iraq to Israel, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iraq to Israel.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Israel performs significantly 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
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Iraq generally does better on environment, though Israel leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Israel generally does better on infrastructure, though Iraq leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Israel generally does better on employment & economy, though Iraq leads in top income tax rate.
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
Israel 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Baghdad | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) | 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) | 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) | 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baghdad | Jerusalem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) | 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) | 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) |
| May | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) | 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) |
| Jun | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) | 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) |
| Aug | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) | 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) |
| Sep | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) | 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) |
| Oct | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) | 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) |
| Nov | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) | 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) | 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) |
Data:
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology,
Israel Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and Israel. To live, work, or study long-term in Israel, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Israel's immigration authority.
Iraq passport holder visiting Israel
Visa Required
Israel passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Israel than Iraq?
No — Israel is on average about 211% more expensive than Iraq. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Israel?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₪163,558 in Israel on a IQD98,250,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Israel?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Israel has 29.4 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 Israel safe for expats?
Israel performs significantly better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Israel is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.
How is healthcare in Israel compared to Iraq?
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 37.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Israel, compared to 10.1 in Iraq. Israel scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).
What's the weather like in Israel compared to Iraq?
The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.
What language do they speak in Israel?
The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.
