Moving to Philippines from Iraq
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iraq to Philippines — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iraq to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 4.5% more expensive than Iraq overall. A IQD98,000,000 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly ₱4,900,000 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Filipino.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iraq to Philippines.
What does your salary buy?
IQD98,000,000 → ₱4,900,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 24.5% less
Groceries
pay 78.4% more
Transportation
pay 9.4% less
Housing
pay 10.1% less
Childcare
pay 60.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 31.1% 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?
How many people actually move from Iraq to Philippines, based on official data.
Who's moving to Philippines?
Top countries of origin for Philippines's foreign-born residents.
- 38,269
- 37,857
- 14,634
- 11,323
- 7,350
- 6,123
- · · ·
-
71.75
Iraq
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iraq to Philippines.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Philippines 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
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines 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
Iraq generally does better on environment, though Philippines 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Philippines 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 Philippines 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 Philippines leads in literacy rate.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance (2016), Bureau of Internal Revenue (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 | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baghdad | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology,
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and Philippines. To live, work, or study long-term in Philippines, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Philippines's immigration authority.
Iraq passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa Required
Philippines 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 Philippines than Iraq?
No — Philippines is on average about 4% more expensive than Iraq. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Philippines?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₱1,225,000 in Philippines on a IQD98,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Philippines?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Philippines has 7.1 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 Philippines safe for expats?
Philippines performs significantly better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to Iraq?
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 10.2 in Iraq. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to Iraq?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.
