Moving to Syria from Iraq
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iraq to Syria — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iraq to Syria, you would find that Syria is 11.5% cheaper than Iraq overall. A IQD98,000,000 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly SYP860,000,000 in Syria to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Damascus averages 78°F vs 87°F in Baghdad, making it significantly cooler.
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 Syria.
What does your salary buy?
IQD98,000,000 → SYP860,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Syria
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 28.1% more
Groceries
pay 13.0% more
Transportation
pay 3.2% more
Housing
pay 30.6% less
Childcare
pay 54.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 40.9% 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 Syria, based on official data.
Who's moving to Syria?
Top countries of origin for Syria's foreign-born residents.
-
1.203,003
Iraq
- 1,143
- 1,079
- 209
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iraq to Syria.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iraq generally does better on safety, though Syria leads in homicide rate.
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
Syria performs significantly better than Iraq across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Syria 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
Iraq performs better than Syria 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
Iraq generally does better on employment & economy, though Syria 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
Syria performs significantly better than Iraq across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2010–2021), The World Factbook (2009–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance (2016), Ministry of Finance, Syria (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 | Damascus |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) | 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) | 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) | 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baghdad | Damascus |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) | 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) |
| Feb | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) | 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) |
| Mar | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) | 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) |
| Apr | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) | 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) |
| May | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) | 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) | 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) |
| Jul | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) | 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) |
| Aug | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) | 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) |
| Sep | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) | 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) |
| Oct | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) | 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) |
| Nov | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) | 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) |
| Dec | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) | 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) |
Data:
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology,
Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and Syria. To live, work, or study long-term in Syria, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Syria's immigration authority.
Iraq passport holder visiting Syria
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Syria 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 Syria than Iraq?
Yes — Syria is on average about 12% cheaper than Iraq. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Syria?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly SYP215,000,000 in Syria 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 Syria?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Syria has 6.9 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 Syria safe for expats?
Iraq generally does better on safety, though Syria leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Syria is 2.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.
How is healthcare in Syria compared to Iraq?
Syria performs significantly better than Iraq across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 15.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Syria, compared to 10.2 in Iraq. Syria scores 64 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).
What's the weather like in Syria compared to Iraq?
The average high temperature in Damascus is 78°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Damascus receives around 5.3 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.
What language do they speak in Syria?
The official language in Syria is Arabic. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.
