Moving to Iraq from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Iraq? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Iraq, you would find that Iraq is 50.7% cheaper than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,438 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly IQD37,185,620 in Iraq to maintain the same lifestyle.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between United Arab Emirates and Iraq.
What does your salary buy?
AED275,438 → IQD37,185,620
To maintain the same standard of living in Iraq
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 44.9% less
Groceries
pay 43.9% less
Transportation
pay 9.7% less
Housing
pay 67.5% less
Childcare
pay 73.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 56.6% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from United Arab Emirates to Iraq.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iraq compared to United Arab Emirates.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates 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
share of people below the poverty line
United Arab Emirates 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
United Arab Emirates generally does better on family life, though Iraq leads in education spending.
Data: Ministry of Finance, 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 | Abu Dhabi | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 66°/43°F (19°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 97°/67°F (36°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 108°/74°F (43°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 77°/50°F (25°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | Baghdad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 60°/39°F (15.5°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 65°/42°F (18.5°/5.5°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 74°/49°F (23.6°/9.6°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 86°/59°F (29.9°/15.2°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 98°/68°F (36.5°/20.1°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 106°/74°F (41.3°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 111°/78°F (44.0°/25.5°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 110°/76°F (43.5°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 104°/69°F (40.2°/20.7°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 92°/61°F (33.4°/15.9°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 75°/49°F (23.7°/9.2°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 63°/41°F (17.2°/5.1°C) |
Iraqi Meteorological Organization and SeismologyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates 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.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Iraq
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Iraq passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa Online (e-Visa)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 United Arab Emirates?
On average Iraq is about 62% less expensive than United Arab Emirates, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iraq?
Budget about IQD9,296,405 for 3 months in Iraq (based on a AED275,438 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: 14.4 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?
United Arab Emirates performs better than Iraq across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iraq is 9.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Iraq compared to United Arab Emirates?
Iraq generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 10.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Iraq, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Iraq scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Iraq compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Baghdad is 87°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Baghdad receives around 4.8 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in Iraq?
The official languages in Iraq are Arabic, Aramaic and Sorani. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
