Moving to Pakistan from Iraq
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iraq to Pakistan — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iraq to Pakistan, you would find that Pakistan is 31.4% cheaper than Iraq overall. A IQD98,353,840 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly PKR15,788,144 in Pakistan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Urdu. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Iraq to Pakistan.
What does your salary buy?
IQD98,353,840 → PKR15,788,144
To maintain the same standard of living in Pakistan
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 25.9% less
Groceries
pay 27.0% less
Transportation
pay 13.8% less
Housing
pay 49.9% less
Childcare
pay 56.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 35.6% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Iraq to Pakistan, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iraq and Pakistan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Pakistan 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iraq leads in health coverage index.
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 Pakistan leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 performs better than Pakistan across all infrastructure metrics.
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 Pakistan 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 generally does better on family life, though Pakistan leads in literacy rate.
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 | Islamabad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) | 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) | 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) | 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baghdad | Islamabad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) |
| Feb | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) | 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) |
| Mar | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) | 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) | 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) |
| May | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) | 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) |
| Jun | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) | 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) |
| Jul | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) | 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) |
| Aug | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) | 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) |
| Sep | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) | 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) |
| Oct | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) | 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) |
| Nov | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) | 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) |
| Dec | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) | 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) |
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and SeismologyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and Pakistan. To live, work, or study long-term in Pakistan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Pakistan's immigration authority.
Iraq passport holder visiting Pakistan
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Pakistan 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 Pakistan than Iraq?
Generally yes: Pakistan runs about 24% cheaper than Iraq on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Pakistan?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a IQD98,353,840 comparable salary, that's around PKR3,947,036 in Pakistan for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Pakistan?
With 1.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Pakistan 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 Pakistan.
Is Pakistan safe for expats?
Pakistan performs significantly better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Pakistan is 4.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.
How is healthcare in Pakistan compared to Iraq?
Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iraq leads in health coverage index. There are 10.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Pakistan, compared to 10.1 in Iraq. Pakistan scores 45 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).
What's the weather like in Pakistan compared to Iraq?
The average high temperature in Islamabad is 84°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Islamabad receives around 49.1 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.
What language do they speak in Pakistan?
The official languages in Pakistan are English and Urdu. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.
