Moving to Sweden from Iraq
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iraq to Sweden? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iraq to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 2.8 times more expensive than Iraq overall. A IQD98,131,745 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly SEK1,772,089 in Sweden to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Stockholm averages 52°F vs 87°F in Baghdad, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iraq and Sweden.
What does your salary buy?
IQD98,131,745 → SEK1,772,089
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 5.2 times more
Groceries
pay 3.1 times more
Transportation
pay 2.3 times more
Housing
pay 2.4 times more
Childcare
pay 55.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.3 times 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Iraq to Sweden.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Sweden compared to Iraq.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Sweden 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
Sweden 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
Sweden 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
share of households with internet
Sweden 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
share of people below the poverty line
Sweden 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
Sweden performs significantly better than Iraq across all family life metrics.
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 | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baghdad | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology,
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and Sweden. To live, work, or study long-term in Sweden, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sweden's immigration authority.
Iraq passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Required
Sweden passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Sweden than Iraq?
On average Sweden is around 145% pricier than Iraq, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Sweden?
Budget about SEK443,022 for 3 months in Sweden (based on a IQD98,131,745 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Sweden?
Connectivity is usually fine (Sweden: 40.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Sweden offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Sweden safe for expats?
Sweden performs significantly better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Iraq?
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iraq leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 71.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 10.1 in Iraq. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to Iraq?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.
