Moving to Texas from Iraq
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iraq to Texas — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iraq to Texas, you would find that Texas is 3.9 times more expensive than Iraq overall. A IQD98,131,745 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly $181,544 in Texas to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.
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 Texas.
What does your salary buy?
IQD98,131,745 → $181,544
To maintain the same standard of living in Texas
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 5.2 times more
Groceries
pay 3.3 times more
Transportation
pay 57.0% more
Housing
pay 3.8 times more
Childcare
pay 9.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.2 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?
How many people actually move from Iraq to Texas, based on official data.
people moved from Iraq to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
33.256,028
Iraq
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iraq to Texas.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Iraq performs better than Texas across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Texas 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
share of people below the poverty line
Texas performs significantly better than Iraq across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Texas performs significantly better than Iraq across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Baghdad | Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) | 65°/40°F (18°/5°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) | 93°/70°F (34°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Baghdad | Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) | 61°/37°F (15.9°/2.9°C) |
| Feb | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) | 64°/39°F (17.6°/3.8°C) |
| Mar | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) | 71°/45°F (21.6°/7.4°C) |
| Apr | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) | 79°/55°F (25.9°/12.8°C) |
| May | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) | 85°/64°F (29.7°/17.7°C) |
| Jun | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) | 91°/70°F (32.8°/21.0°C) |
| Jul | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) | 94°/72°F (34.7°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) | 96°/72°F (35.4°/22.1°C) |
| Sep | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) | 90°/67°F (32.3°/19.2°C) |
| Oct | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) | 81°/57°F (27.3°/13.7°C) |
| Nov | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) | 71°/47°F (21.4°/8.4°C) |
| Dec | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) | 62°/38°F (16.5°/3.4°C) |
Data:
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Iraq passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Texas than Iraq?
No — Texas is on average about 142% more expensive than Iraq. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Texas?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $45,386 in Texas on a IQD98,131,745 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Texas?
Usually fine from major cities in Texas. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Texas compared to Iraq?
Iraq performs better than Texas across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Texas compared to Iraq?
The average high temperature in Austin is 79°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Austin receives around 36.2 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.
What language do they speak in Texas?
The official language in Texas is English. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.
