Moving to Iraq from Pakistan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Pakistan to Iraq? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Pakistan to Iraq, you would find that Iraq is 2.0 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR20,828,685 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly IQD129,717,083 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.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Pakistan and Iraq.
What does your salary buy?
PKR20,828,685 → IQD129,717,083
To maintain the same standard of living in Iraq
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 48.0% more
Groceries
pay 42.5% more
Transportation
pay 2.6 times more
Housing
pay 2.6 times more
Childcare
pay 3.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 79.0% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Pakistan to Iraq.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iraq compared to Pakistan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Pakistan 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
Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iraq leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Pakistan generally does better on environment, though Iraq leads in air pollution deaths.
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 performs significantly better than Pakistan 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
Pakistan generally does better on employment & economy, though Iraq leads in gdp per capita.
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 generally does better on family life, though Pakistan leads in literacy rate.
Data: Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan, 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 | Islamabad | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Islamabad | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) |
| Apr | 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) |
| May | 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) |
| Jun | 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) |
| Aug | 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) |
| Oct | 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) |
| Nov | 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) |
| Dec | 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) |
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and SeismologyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Pakistan 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.
Pakistan passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa Required
Iraq passport holder visiting Pakistan
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: 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 Pakistan?
On average Iraq is around 32% pricier than Pakistan, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Iraq?
Budget about IQD32,429,271 for 3 months in Iraq (based on a PKR20,828,685 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: 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?
Pakistan performs better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iraq is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.2 in Pakistan.
How is healthcare in Iraq compared to Pakistan?
Pakistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iraq leads in health coverage index. There are 10.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Iraq, compared to 10.8 in Pakistan. Iraq scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).
What's the weather like in Iraq compared to Pakistan?
The average high temperature in Baghdad is 87°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. Baghdad receives around 4.8 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.
What language do they speak in Iraq?
The official languages in Iraq are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. In Pakistan, the official languages are English and Urdu.
