Moving to Iraq from Romania

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Romania to Iraq — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Romania to Iraq, you would find that Iraq is 22.0% cheaper than Romania overall. A RON344,033 salary in Romania would need to be roughly IQD61,565,569 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 63°F in Bucharest, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Romania to Iraq.

What does your salary buy?

RON344,033 IQD61,565,569

To maintain the same standard of living in Iraq

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 57.1% less

Groceries

pay 33.5% less

Transportation

pay 17.1% more

Housing

pay 47.8% more

Childcare

pay 73.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 9.3% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RON = 285.89 IQD (July 2026)

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

How Romania and Iraq stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RO
1.3
IQ
9.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RO
9.6
IQ
21.5

Romania performs better than Iraq across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RO
$2,614
IQ
$843
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

RO
34.7
IQ
10.1

Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iraq leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RO
46.0
IQ
87.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RO
3.7t
IQ
5.2t

Romania performs better than Iraq across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RO
32.4
IQ
14.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RO
7.4%
IQ
59.6%

Romania performs better than Iraq across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RO
5.6%
IQ
15.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RO
$40,500
IQ
$12,600

Romania generally does better on employment & economy, though Iraq leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RO
75.8 yrs
IQ
73.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RO
5.8
IQ
19.6

Romania generally does better on family life, though Iraq leads in education spending.

Data: National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bucharest Rain: 23.4 in/yr (594 mm)
63° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Baghdad Rain: 4.8 in/yr (123 mm)
87° / 59°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bucharest Baghdad
Jan–Mar 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) 66°/43°F (19°/6°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) 97°/67°F (36°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (28°/14°C) 108°/74°F (43°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/34°F (10°/1°C) 77°/50°F (25°/10°C)
View all months
Month Bucharest Baghdad
Jan 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C) 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C)
Feb 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C) 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C)
Mar 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C) 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C)
Apr 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C) 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C)
May 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C) 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C)
Jun 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C) 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C) 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C)
Aug 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C) 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C)
Sep 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C) 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C)
Oct 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C) 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C)
Nov 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C) 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C)
Dec 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C) 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C)

Data: National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration, Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Romania 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.

Romania passport

Romania passport holder visiting Iraq

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Romania passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Iraq.
Iraq passport

Iraq passport holder visiting Romania

Visa Required
Iraq passport holders need a visa to enter Romania.

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 Romania?

Generally yes: Iraq runs about 37% cheaper than Romania on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

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 RON344,033 comparable salary, that's around IQD15,391,392 in Iraq for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Iraq?

With 14.4 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 Romania and Iraq.

Is Iraq safe for expats?

Romania performs better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iraq is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Romania.

How is healthcare in Iraq compared to Romania?

Romania 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 34.7 in Romania. Iraq scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Romania: 78).

What's the weather like in Iraq compared to Romania?

The average high temperature in Baghdad is 87°F, compared to 63°F in Bucharest. Baghdad receives around 4.8 in of rainfall per year, while Bucharest gets 23.4 in.

What language do they speak in Iraq?

The official languages in Iraq are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. In Romania, the official language is Romanian.

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At a Glance

RO IQ
Population 18,519,899 40,462,701
Currency Romanian Leu (RON) Iraqi Dinar (IQD)
Languages Romanian Arabic, Aramaic, Sorani
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +40 +964
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 104