Moving to Panama from Iraq
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iraq to Panama — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iraq to Panama, you would find that Panama is 2.3 times more expensive than Iraq overall. A IQD98,250,000 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly PAB146,695 in Panama to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iraq to Panama.
What does your salary buy?
IQD98,250,000 → PAB146,695
To maintain the same standard of living in Panama
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.9 times more
Groceries
pay 2.8 times more
Transportation
pay 32.3% more
Housing
pay 2.1 times more
Childcare
pay 3.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 41.8% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iraq to Panama.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iraq generally does better on safety, though Panama 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iraq 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
Panama 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
Panama performs significantly better than Iraq 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
Panama 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
Panama 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 | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baghdad | Panama City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) |
| Feb | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) |
| Mar | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) |
| Apr | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) |
| May | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) |
| Jun | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) |
| Jul | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) |
| Sep | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) |
| Oct | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) |
| Nov | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) |
| Dec | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) |
Data:
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology,
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and Panama. To live, work, or study long-term in Panama, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Panama's immigration authority.
Iraq passport holder visiting Panama
Visa Required
Panama 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 Panama than Iraq?
No — Panama is on average about 96% more expensive than Iraq. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Panama?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly PAB36,674 in Panama on a IQD98,250,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Panama?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Panama has 15.5 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 Panama safe for expats?
Iraq generally does better on safety, though Panama leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Panama is 11.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.
How is healthcare in Panama compared to Iraq?
Panama generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iraq leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 17.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 10.1 in Iraq. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).
What's the weather like in Panama compared to Iraq?
The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.
What language do they speak in Panama?
The official language in Panama is Spanish. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.
