Moving to Iraq from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Iraq? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Iraq, you would find that Iraq is 35.9% cheaper than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly IQD61,000,000 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Baghdad averages 87°F vs 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Africa and Iraq.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,200,000 → IQD61,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Iraq
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 39.8% less
Groceries
pay 39.1% less
Transportation
pay 46.2% less
Housing
pay 35.5% less
Childcare
pay 31.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.7% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iraq compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iraq performs significantly better than South Africa 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 South Africa 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
South Africa generally does better on environment, though Iraq leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in electricity per capita.
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
Iraq generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa 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
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Iraq leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Ministry of Finance (2016), The World Factbook (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Pretoria | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa Required
Iraq passport holder visiting South Africa
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 South Africa?
On average Iraq is about 36% less expensive than South Africa, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iraq?
Budget about IQD15,250,000 for 3 months in Iraq (based on a ZAR1,200,000 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: 17.6 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?
Iraq performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iraq is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Iraq compared to South Africa?
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. There are 10.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iraq, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Iraq scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Iraq compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Baghdad is 87°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Baghdad receives around 4.8 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Iraq?
The official languages in Iraq are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Iraq
At a Glance
ZA
|
IQ
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 47,020,774 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Iraqi Dinar (IQD) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Arabic, Aramaic, Sorani |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +964 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 104 |