Moving to Rwanda from Iraq

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iraq to Rwanda — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Iraq to Rwanda, and you’d need to navigate life in English, French and Kinyarwanda.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Iraq and Rwanda stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

IQ
9.4
RW
3.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IQ
21.5
RW
11.6

Rwanda performs significantly better than Iraq across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

IQ
$843
RW
$177
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IQ
10.1
RW
1.2

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rwanda leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IQ
87.0
RW
62.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IQ
5.2t
RW
0.2t

Rwanda performs significantly better than Iraq across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IQ
14.4
RW
0.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IQ
59.6%
RW
20.2%

Iraq generally does better on infrastructure, though Rwanda leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IQ
15.5%
RW
14.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IQ
$12,600
RW
$3,000

Iraq generally does better on employment & economy, though Rwanda leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IQ
73.2 yrs
RW
65.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IQ
19.6
RW
26.4

Iraq generally does better on family life, though Rwanda 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.

Baghdad Rain: 4.8 in/yr (123 mm)
87° / 59°F

Avg. annual high / low

Kigali Rain: 37.4 in/yr (951 mm)
80° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Baghdad Kigali
Jan–Mar 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) 80°/60°F (27°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) 79°/61°F (26°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) 82°/60°F (28°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) 80°/60°F (27°/16°C)
View all months
Month Baghdad Kigali
Jan 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.6°C)
Feb 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) 81°/60°F (27.4°/15.8°C)
Mar 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Apr 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) 79°/61°F (26.2°/16.1°C)
May 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.2°C)
Jun 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.3°C)
Jul 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) 81°/59°F (27.1°/15.0°C)
Aug 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.0°C)
Sep 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.0°C)
Oct 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) 81°/61°F (27.2°/15.9°C)
Nov 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) 79°/60°F (26.1°/15.5°C)
Dec 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.6°C)

Data: Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology, Rwanda Meteorology Agency Rwanda Meteorology Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and Rwanda. To live, work, or study long-term in Rwanda, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Rwanda's immigration authority.

Iraq passport

Iraq passport holder visiting Rwanda

Visa on Arrival
Iraq passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Rwanda.
Rwanda passport

Rwanda passport holder visiting Iraq

Visa Required
Rwanda passport holders need a visa to enter Iraq.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Rwanda?

With 0.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Rwanda 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 Rwanda.

Is Rwanda safe for expats?

Rwanda performs significantly better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Rwanda is 3.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.

How is healthcare in Rwanda compared to Iraq?

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rwanda leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Rwanda, compared to 10.1 in Iraq. Rwanda scores 49 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).

What's the weather like in Rwanda compared to Iraq?

The average high temperature in Kigali is 80°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Kigali receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.

What language do they speak in Rwanda?

The official languages in Rwanda are English, French and Kinyarwanda. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.

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At a Glance

IQ RW
Population 40,462,701 13,173,730
Currency Iraqi Dinar (IQD) Rwandan Franc (RWF)
Languages Arabic, Aramaic, Sorani English, French, Kinyarwanda
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +964 +250
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 104 112