Moving to Texas from Iraq

moving to

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 3.0 times more expensive than Iraq overall. A IQD110,000,000 salary in Iraq would need to be roughly $217,000 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 ↓

Is Texas cheaper than Iraq?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 3.2 times more

Groceries

pay 2.8 times more

Transportation

pay 76.1% more

Housing

pay 4.1 times more

Childcare

pay 8.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 70.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IQD = 0.0007 USD (November 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Texas?

What does your salary buy?

IQD110,000,000 → $217,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Texas

Calculate with your salary →

Get free moving quotes to Texas

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Iraq to Texas, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
3,690 ↑ 43% vs 2022

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.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iraq to Texas.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

IQ
39.7%
TX
36.8%

Texas performs significantly better than Iraq across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access World Bank, 2024

share of households with internet

IQ
81.5%
TX
90.1%

Texas performs significantly better than Iraq across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IQ
15.5%
TX
3.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IQ
$5,410
TX
$70,071

Texas performs significantly better than Iraq across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

IQ
72.4 yrs
TX
76.5 yrs

Texas performs significantly better than Iraq across all family life metrics.

Weather in Texas vs Iraq

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Houston Rain: 49.8 in/yr (1264 mm)
80° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Baghdad Houston
Jan–Mar 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) 67°/48°F (20°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) 86°/67°F (30°/19°C)
Jul–Sep 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) 93°/73°F (34°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) 73°/53°F (23°/11°C)
View all months
Month Baghdad Houston
Jan 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) 63°/43°F (17.2°/6.2°C)
Feb 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) 66°/47°F (19.1°/8.1°C)
Mar 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.4°C)
Apr 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) 80°/59°F (26.4°/15.2°C)
May 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) 86°/68°F (30.2°/19.8°C)
Jun 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) 91°/73°F (33.0°/22.9°C)
Jul 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.9°C)
Aug 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) 94°/75°F (34.7°/23.8°C)
Sep 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) 90°/70°F (32.1°/21.0°C)
Oct 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) 82°/61°F (27.8°/16.1°C)
Nov 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) 72°/52°F (22.5°/11.2°C)
Dec 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) 64°/45°F (17.9°/7.0°C)

Data: Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Can you move from Iraq to Texas?

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

Iraq passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Iraq passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Iraq

Visa Online (e-Visa)
United States passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Iraq.

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 199% 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 $54,250 in Texas on a IQD110,000,000 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?

Texas performs significantly better than Iraq across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Houston is 80°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Houston receives around 49.8 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.

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At a Glance

IQ
Population 47,020,774 31,709,821
Currency Iraqi Dinar (IQD) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Arabic, Aramaic, Sorani English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +964 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 104 911