Moving to Iraq from Netherlands
What to Expect
Considering a move from Netherlands to Iraq? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Netherlands to Iraq, you would find that Iraq is 70.6% cheaper than Netherlands overall. A €67,000 salary in Netherlands would need to be roughly IQD33,700,000 in Iraq to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Baghdad averages 87°F vs 56°F in Amsterdam, making it significantly warmer.
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How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 75.3% less
Groceries
pay 62.0% less
Transportation
pay 66.4% less
Housing
pay 77.5% less
Childcare
pay 84.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 44.4% 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.
What salary do you need in Iraq?
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → IQD33,700,000
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
The numbers behind daily life in Iraq compared to Netherlands.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Netherlands 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
Netherlands 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
Netherlands 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
Netherlands 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
Netherlands 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
Netherlands performs better than Iraq across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst (2016), Ministry of Finance (2016), The World Factbook (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Iraq vs Netherlands
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Amsterdam | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Amsterdam | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) |
| Mar | 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) |
| Apr | 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) |
| Jun | 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) |
| Oct | 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) |
| Nov | 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) |
| Dec | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) |
Data:
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute,
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology
Can you move from Netherlands to Iraq?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands 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.
Netherlands passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Iraq passport holder visiting Netherlands
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 Netherlands?
On average Iraq is about 71% less expensive than Netherlands, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iraq?
Budget about IQD8,425,000 for 3 months in Iraq (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iraq?
Connectivity is usually fine (Iraq: 17.6 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?
Netherlands performs better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iraq is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Netherlands.
How is healthcare in Iraq compared to Netherlands?
Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iraq leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 10.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iraq, compared to 38.8 in Netherlands. Iraq scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).
What's the weather like in Iraq compared to Netherlands?
The average high temperature in Baghdad is 87°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Baghdad receives around 4.8 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.
What language do they speak in Iraq?
The official languages in Iraq are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.
