Moving to Iraq from Japan
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Japan to Iraq — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Japan to Iraq, you would find that Iraq is 41.1% cheaper than Japan overall. A ¥12,124,875 salary in Japan would need to be roughly IQD55,571,231 in Iraq to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Baghdad averages 87°F vs 69°F in Tokyo, making it significantly warmer.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from Japan to Iraq.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,124,875 → IQD55,571,231
To maintain the same standard of living in Iraq
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 32.3% less
Groceries
pay 56.1% less
Transportation
pay 39.7% less
Housing
pay 32.2% less
Childcare
pay 68.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 27.1% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
How Japan and Iraq stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs 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
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on environment, though Iraq leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Japan performs 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
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on family life, though Iraq leads in education spending.
Data: National Tax Agency Japan, 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 | Tokyo | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan and Iraq. To live, work, or study long-term in Iraq, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Iraq's immigration authority.
Japan passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Iraq passport holder visiting Japan
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 Iraq than Japan?
Generally yes: Iraq runs about 43% cheaper than Japan on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Iraq?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ¥12,124,875 comparable salary, that's around IQD13,892,808 in Iraq for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iraq?
With 14.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Iraq can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Japan and Iraq.
Is Iraq safe for expats?
Japan performs better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iraq is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan.
How is healthcare in Iraq compared to Japan?
Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iraq leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 10.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Iraq, compared to 26.1 in Japan. Iraq scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Iraq compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Baghdad is 87°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Baghdad receives around 4.8 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Iraq?
The official languages in Iraq are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
