Moving to Zimbabwe from Iraq

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iraq to Zimbabwe — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Iraq to Zimbabwe, and you’d need to navigate life in Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Harare averages 78°F vs 87°F in Baghdad, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Iraq and Zimbabwe stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IQ
9.4
ZW
6.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IQ
21.5
ZW
29.9

Iraq generally does better on safety, though Zimbabwe leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

IQ
$843
ZW
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IQ
10.1
ZW
1.7

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IQ
87.0
ZW
56.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IQ
5.2t
ZW
0.8t

Zimbabwe performs significantly better than Iraq across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IQ
14.4
ZW
1.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IQ
59.6%
ZW
46.1%

Iraq generally does better on infrastructure, though Zimbabwe leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IQ
15.5%
ZW
8.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IQ
$12,600
ZW
$3,500

Iraq generally does better on employment & economy, though Zimbabwe leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IQ
73.2 yrs
ZW
63.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IQ
19.6
ZW
28.5

Iraq generally does better on family life, though Zimbabwe leads in literacy rate.

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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Harare Rain: 33.1 in/yr (841 mm)
78° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Baghdad Harare
Jan–Mar 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) 75°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) 76°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) 82°/59°F (28°/15°C)
View all months
Month Baghdad Harare
Jan 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C)
Feb 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C)
Mar 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C)
Apr 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C)
May 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C)
Jun 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C)
Jul 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C)
Aug 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C)
Sep 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C)
Oct 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C)
Nov 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C)
Dec 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C)

Data: Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology, Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iraq and Zimbabwe. To live, work, or study long-term in Zimbabwe, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Zimbabwe's immigration authority.

Iraq passport

Iraq passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

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

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Iraq

Visa Required
Zimbabwe passport holders need a visa to enter Iraq.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Zimbabwe?

With 1.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Zimbabwe can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Iraq and Zimbabwe.

Is Zimbabwe safe for expats?

Iraq generally does better on safety, though Zimbabwe leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Iraq.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Iraq?

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Zimbabwe, compared to 10.1 in Iraq. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iraq: 59).

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

The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 87°F in Baghdad. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Baghdad gets 4.8 in.

What language do they speak in Zimbabwe?

The official languages in Zimbabwe are Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language. In Iraq, the official languages are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.

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At a Glance

IQ ZW
Population 40,462,701 15,121,004
Currency Iraqi Dinar (IQD) Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL)
Languages Arabic, Aramaic, Sorani Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +964 +263
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 104 999