Moving to Iraq from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Saudi Arabia to Iraq — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Iraq, you would find that Iraq is 38.6% cheaper than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR281,865 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly IQD54,126,085 in Iraq to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Saudi Arabia to Iraq.
What does your salary buy?
SAR281,865 → IQD54,126,085
To maintain the same standard of living in Iraq
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 25.4% less
Groceries
pay 41.6% less
Transportation
pay 14.5% less
Housing
pay 40.6% less
Childcare
pay 64.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 34.9% 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?
How many people actually move from Saudi Arabia to Iraq, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Iraq.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia 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
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Iraq performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia 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
share of households with internet
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Iraq 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
Saudi Arabia performs better than Iraq across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Saudi Arabia performs better than Iraq across all family life metrics.
Data: Department of Zakat and Income Tax, 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 | Riyadh | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Iraq passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
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 Saudi Arabia?
Yes — Iraq is on average about 45% cheaper than Saudi Arabia. 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 IQD13,531,521 in Iraq on a SAR281,865 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and 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?
Saudi Arabia performs better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iraq is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Iraq compared to Saudi Arabia?
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 10.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Iraq, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Iraq scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Iraq compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Baghdad is 87°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Baghdad receives around 4.8 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Iraq?
The official languages in Iraq are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
