Moving to Nigeria from Iraq
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iraq to Nigeria? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iraq to Nigeria, you would find that Nigeria is 0.5% cheaper than Iraq overall. A IQD98,000,000 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly NGN98,900,000 in Nigeria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iraq and Nigeria.
What does your salary buy?
IQD98,000,000 → NGN98,900,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Nigeria
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 36.1% less
Groceries
pay 42.2% more
Transportation
pay 12.2% less
Housing
pay 16.2% more
Childcare
pay 40.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 51.0% 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 Nigeria 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 Nigeria leads in road traffic deaths.
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 Nigeria 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
Nigeria 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 Nigeria 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 Nigeria 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 Nigeria across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance (2016), Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria (2016), The World Factbook (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 | Abuja |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) | 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) | 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baghdad | Abuja |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) | 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) |
| Feb | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) | 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) |
| Mar | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) | 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) |
| Apr | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) | 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) |
| May | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) | 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) |
| Jun | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Jul | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) | 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) |
| Aug | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) | 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) |
| Oct | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) | 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) |
| Nov | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) | 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) |
| Dec | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) | 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) |
Data:
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology,
Nigerian Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and Nigeria. To live, work, or study long-term in Nigeria, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Nigeria's immigration authority.
Iraq passport holder visiting Nigeria
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Nigeria 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 Nigeria than Iraq?
Nigeria and Iraq are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Nigeria?
Budget about NGN24,725,000 for 3 months in Nigeria (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 Nigeria?
Connectivity is usually fine (Nigeria: 0.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Nigeria offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Nigeria safe for expats?
Iraq generally does better on safety, though Nigeria leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Nigeria is 15.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.
How is healthcare in Nigeria compared to Iraq?
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Nigeria, compared to 10.2 in Iraq. Nigeria scores 38 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).
What's the weather like in Nigeria compared to Iraq?
The average high temperature in Abuja is 91°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Abuja receives around 48.1 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.
What language do they speak in Nigeria?
The official language in Nigeria is English. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.
