Moving to Iraq from Somalia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Somalia to Iraq.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Somalia to Iraq, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
417 ↑ 1% vs 2015

people born in Somalia live in Iraq · UN DESA

Who's moving to Iraq?

Top countries of origin for Iraq's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SO
20.2
IQ
21.5

Somalia 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

SO
$52
IQ
$843
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SO
0.2
IQ
10.1

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Somalia 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

SO
64.0
IQ
87.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SO
0.0t
IQ
5.2t

Somalia 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

SO
0.7
IQ
14.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SO
24.5%
IQ
59.6%

Iraq generally does better on infrastructure, though Somalia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SO
19.0%
IQ
15.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SO
$1,500
IQ
$12,600

Iraq performs significantly better than Somalia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SO
55.7 yrs
IQ
73.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SO
86.5
IQ
19.6

Iraq performs significantly better than Somalia across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Mogadishu Rain: 18.7 in/yr (474 mm)
86° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Mogadishu Baghdad
Jan–Mar 86°/74°F (30°/24°C) 66°/43°F (19°/6°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) 97°/67°F (36°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/73°F (29°/23°C) 108°/74°F (43°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/75°F (30°/24°C) 77°/50°F (25°/10°C)
View all months
Month Mogadishu Baghdad
Jan 86°/73°F (30.1°/23.0°C) 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C)
Feb 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C)
Mar 87°/76°F (30.7°/24.7°C) 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C)
Apr 90°/78°F (32.0°/25.5°C) 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C)
May 88°/76°F (31.1°/24.7°C) 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C)
Jun 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.6°C) 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C)
Jul 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C) 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C)
Aug 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C) 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C)
Sep 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.2°C) 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C)
Oct 86°/76°F (30.1°/24.2°C) 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C)
Nov 87°/75°F (30.5°/24.1°C) 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C)
Dec 87°/74°F (30.6°/23.5°C) 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C)

Data: Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Somalia 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.

Somalia passport

Somalia passport holder visiting Iraq

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

Iraq passport holder visiting Somalia

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

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

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 Somalia and Iraq.

Is Iraq safe for expats?

Somalia performs better than Iraq across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Iraq compared to Somalia?

Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Somalia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 10.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Iraq, compared to 0.2 in Somalia. Iraq scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Somalia: 27).

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

The average high temperature in Baghdad is 87°F, compared to 86°F in Mogadishu. Baghdad receives around 4.8 in of rainfall per year, while Mogadishu gets 18.7 in.

What language do they speak in Iraq?

The official languages in Iraq are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. In Somalia, the official languages are Arabic and Somali.

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At a Glance

SO IQ
Population 12,386,248 40,462,701
Currency Somali Shilling (SOS) Iraqi Dinar (IQD)
Languages Arabic, Somali Arabic, Aramaic, Sorani
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +252 +964
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 104