Moving to Kenya from Iraq
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iraq to Kenya? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iraq to Kenya, you would find that Kenya is 3.2% cheaper than Iraq overall. A IQD98,000,000 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly KES9,390,000 in Kenya to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Swahili. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Nairobi averages 74°F vs 87°F in Baghdad, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iraq and Kenya.
What does your salary buy?
IQD98,000,000 → KES9,390,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Kenya
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 1.2% more
Groceries
pay 16.6% more
Transportation
pay 41.4% more
Housing
pay 29.2% less
Childcare
pay 94.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 8.3% less
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 Kenya compared to Iraq.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iraq generally does better on safety, though Kenya leads in homicide rate.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Kenya performs significantly better than Iraq across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Iraq generally does better on infrastructure, though Kenya 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
share of people below the poverty line
Iraq generally does better on employment & economy, though Kenya leads in unemployment 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
Iraq performs better than Kenya across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2016–2021), Ministry of Finance (2016), Revenue Authority (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Baghdad | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baghdad | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) |
| Mar | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) |
| Apr | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) |
| May | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) |
| Jul | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) |
| Aug | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) |
| Sep | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) |
| Oct | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) |
| Nov | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) |
| Dec | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) |
Data:
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology,
Kenya Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and Kenya. To live, work, or study long-term in Kenya, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Kenya's immigration authority.
Iraq passport holder visiting Kenya
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Kenya 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 Kenya than Iraq?
On average Kenya is about 3% less expensive than Iraq, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Kenya?
Budget about KES2,347,500 for 3 months in Kenya (based on a IQD98,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Kenya?
Connectivity is usually fine (Kenya: 3.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Kenya offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Kenya safe for expats?
Iraq generally does better on safety, though Kenya leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Kenya is 4.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.
How is healthcare in Kenya compared to Iraq?
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Kenya, compared to 10.2 in Iraq. Kenya scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).
What's the weather like in Kenya compared to Iraq?
The average high temperature in Nairobi is 74°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Nairobi receives around 40.3 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.
What language do they speak in Kenya?
The official languages in Kenya are English and Swahili. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.
