Moving to Iraq from Kenya
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Kenya to Iraq — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Kenya to Iraq, you would find that Iraq is 3.3% more expensive than Kenya overall. A KES9,700,000 salary in Kenya would need to be roughly IQD117,000,000 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 74°F in Nairobi, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Iraq cheaper than Kenya?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 1.1% less
Groceries
pay 14.2% less
Transportation
pay 29.3% less
Housing
pay 41.2% more
Childcare
pay 48.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.1% 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.
What salary do you need in Iraq?
What does your salary buy?
KES9,700,000 → IQD117,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Iraq
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Iraq
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Kenya 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
Kenya generally does better on safety, though Iraq leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya 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
Kenya performs 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Kenya leads in water stress level.
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 Kenya 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
Iraq performs significantly better than Kenya across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2016–2021), Revenue Authority (2016), Ministry of Finance (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Iraq vs Kenya
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Nairobi | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Nairobi | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) |
| Mar | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) |
| Apr | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) |
| May | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) |
| Jun | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) |
| Aug | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) |
| Oct | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) |
| Nov | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) |
| Dec | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) |
Data:
Kenya Meteorological Department,
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology
Can you move from Kenya to Iraq?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kenya 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.
Kenya passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa Required
Iraq passport holder visiting Kenya
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Kenya?
Day-to-day costs in Iraq run about 3% higher than Kenya on average; specific cities can swing further.
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 KES9,700,000 comparable salary, that's around IQD29,250,000 in Iraq for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iraq?
With 17.6 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 Kenya and Iraq.
Is Iraq safe for expats?
Kenya generally does better on safety, though Iraq leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Iraq is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.9 in Kenya.
How is healthcare in Iraq compared to Kenya?
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 10.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iraq, compared to 2.9 in Kenya. Iraq scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kenya: 53).
What's the weather like in Iraq compared to Kenya?
The average high temperature in Baghdad is 87°F, compared to 74°F in Nairobi. Baghdad receives around 4.8 in of rainfall per year, while Nairobi gets 40.3 in.
What language do they speak in Iraq?
The official languages in Iraq are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. In Kenya, the official languages are English and Swahili.
