Moving to Malaysia from Iraq
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iraq to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iraq to Malaysia, you would find that Malaysia is 43.3% more expensive than Iraq overall. A IQD98,250,000 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly MYR456,275 in Malaysia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Malay. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iraq to Malaysia.
What does your salary buy?
IQD98,250,000 → MYR456,275
To maintain the same standard of living in Malaysia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 22.6% more
Groceries
pay 94.7% more
Transportation
pay 0.2% less
Housing
pay 6.1% less
Childcare
pay 2.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 22.1% 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 Malaysia, based on official data.
Who's moving to Malaysia?
Top countries of origin for Malaysia's foreign-born residents.
- 1,241,634
- 585,864
- 415,717
- 350,605
- 148,096
- 117,990
- · · ·
-
22.1,318
Iraq
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iraq to Malaysia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Malaysia 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 Malaysia 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 Malaysia 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
Malaysia generally does better on infrastructure, though Iraq leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Malaysia 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
Malaysia generally does better on family life, though Iraq leads in education spending.
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 | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baghdad | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and Malaysia. To live, work, or study long-term in Malaysia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Malaysia's immigration authority.
Iraq passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Malaysia than Iraq?
No — Malaysia is on average about 53% more expensive than Iraq. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Malaysia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly MYR114,069 in Malaysia on a IQD98,250,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Malaysia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Malaysia has 12.4 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 Malaysia safe for expats?
Malaysia performs significantly better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Iraq?
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 10.1 in Iraq. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Iraq?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.
