Moving to South Africa from Iraq
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iraq to South Africa? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iraq to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 57.2% more expensive than Iraq overall. A IQD98,250,000 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly ZAR1,688,164 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Pretoria averages 77°F vs 87°F in Baghdad, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iraq and South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
IQD98,250,000 → ZAR1,688,164
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 56.4% more
Transportation
pay 45.8% more
Housing
pay 41.9% more
Childcare
pay 58.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.0% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Iraq to South Africa.
Who's moving to South Africa?
Top countries of origin for South Africa's foreign-born residents.
- 690,243
- 350,463
- 192,008
- 94,119
- 67,382
- 63,892
- · · ·
-
103.197
Iraq
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Africa compared to Iraq.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iraq performs better than South Africa 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa 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 South Africa leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Iraq generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in electricity per capita.
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
Iraq generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.
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 South Africa 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 | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baghdad | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and South Africa. To live, work, or study long-term in South Africa, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Africa's immigration authority.
Iraq passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Required
South Africa 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 South Africa than Iraq?
On average South Africa is around 39% pricier than Iraq, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
Budget about ZAR422,041 for 3 months in South Africa (based on a IQD98,250,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
Connectivity is usually fine (South Africa: 3.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does South Africa offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is South Africa safe for expats?
Iraq performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Iraq?
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 10.1 in Iraq. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Iraq?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.
Compare further: Iraq vs. South Africa
More relocation comparisons
At a Glance
IQ
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,462,701 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Iraqi Dinar (IQD) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Arabic, Aramaic, Sorani | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +964 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 104 | 10111 |