Moving to Iraq from Lebanon
What to Expect
Considering a move from Lebanon to Iraq? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Lebanon to Iraq, you would find that Iraq is 35.9% cheaper than Lebanon overall. A LBP6,716,250,000 salary in Lebanon would need to be roughly IQD60,072,670 in Iraq to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Lebanon and Iraq.
What does your salary buy?
LBP6,716,250,000 → IQD60,072,670
To maintain the same standard of living in Iraq
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 50.0% less
Groceries
pay 18.2% less
Transportation
pay 34.2% less
Housing
pay 34.0% less
Childcare
pay 46.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 17.0% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Lebanon to Iraq.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iraq compared to Lebanon.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Lebanon 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Lebanon performs better than Iraq across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Lebanon 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
Iraq generally does better on infrastructure, though Lebanon 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
Iraq generally does better on employment & economy, though Lebanon 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
Lebanon generally does better on family life, though Iraq leads in education spending.
Data: Ministry of Finance, Lebanon, 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 | Beirut | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | — | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | — | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | — | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | — | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Beirut | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | — | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | — | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) |
| Mar | — | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) |
| Apr | — | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) |
| May | — | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) |
| Jun | — | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | — | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) |
| Aug | — | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | — | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) |
| Oct | — | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) |
| Nov | — | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) |
| Dec | — | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) |
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and SeismologyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Lebanon 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.
Lebanon passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa Free
Iraq passport holder visiting Lebanon
Visa on ArrivalData: 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 Lebanon?
On average Iraq is about 39% less expensive than Lebanon, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iraq?
Budget about IQD15,018,168 for 3 months in Iraq (based on a LBP6,716,250,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iraq?
Connectivity is usually fine (Iraq: 14.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Iraq offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Iraq safe for expats?
Lebanon performs better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iraq is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Lebanon.
How is healthcare in Iraq compared to Lebanon?
Lebanon performs better than Iraq across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 10.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Iraq, compared to 26.2 in Lebanon. Iraq scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Lebanon: 73).
What's the weather like in Iraq compared to Lebanon?
The average high temperature in Baghdad is 87°F, compared to None°F in Beirut. Baghdad receives around 4.8 in of rainfall per year, while Beirut gets 32.5 in.
What language do they speak in Iraq?
The official languages in Iraq are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. In Lebanon, the official languages are Arabic and French.
