Moving to Iraq from Panama
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Panama to Iraq — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Panama to Iraq, you would find that Iraq is 40.7% cheaper than Panama overall. A PAB75,000 salary in Panama would need to be roughly IQD50,231,950 in Iraq to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Panama to Iraq.
What does your salary buy?
PAB75,000 → IQD50,231,950
To maintain the same standard of living in Iraq
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 52.2% less
Groceries
pay 56.3% less
Transportation
pay 11.3% less
Housing
pay 45.5% less
Childcare
pay 69.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.0% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Panama to Iraq.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Panama generally does better on safety, though Iraq leads in homicide rate.
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
Panama 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
Panama 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
Panama 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
Panama 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Panama generally does better on family life, though Iraq leads in education spending.
Data: General Directorate of Revenues, Panama, 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 | Panama City | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Panama City | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) |
| Mar | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) |
| Apr | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) |
| May | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) |
| Jun | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) |
| Aug | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) |
| Oct | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) |
| Nov | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) |
| Dec | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) |
Data:
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá,
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Panama 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.
Panama passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa Required
Iraq passport holder visiting Panama
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 Panama?
Yes — Iraq is on average about 49% cheaper than Panama. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Iraq?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly IQD12,557,988 in Iraq on a PAB75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Iraq?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Iraq has 14.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Iraq safe for expats?
Panama generally does better on safety, though Iraq leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Iraq is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.3 in Panama.
How is healthcare in Iraq compared to Panama?
Panama 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 17.3 in Panama. Iraq scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Panama: 78).
What's the weather like in Iraq compared to Panama?
The average high temperature in Baghdad is 87°F, compared to 93°F in Panama City. Baghdad receives around 4.8 in of rainfall per year, while Panama City gets 75.1 in.
What language do they speak in Iraq?
The official languages in Iraq are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. In Panama, the official language is Spanish.
