Middle East · 2 cities
Iraq for digital nomads: 2 cities compared (2026)
Iraq has 2 cities in the dataset. Erbil scores highest under balanced weights at 36/100. Iraq has no digital-nomad visa.
Dataset 2026.10.7. How scoring works.
Cities in Iraq, ranked
Balanced weights, every factor equal. Open a city for the full breakdown with sources, or rank them with your own weights.
| # | City | Score | Cost/mo | Internet | Comfortable months | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erbil Kurdistan's capital: an ancient citadel and the calmest corner of Iraq | 36 | — | 11.4 Mbps | 3/12 | Erbil Citadel · Visa on arrival for many |
| 2 | Baghdad The Tigris capital reopening to visitors, still under travel advisories | 35 | — | 2.5 Mbps | 4/12 | Mutanabbi Street book market · Tigris riverfront |
* national estimate
National figures shared by every city
These come from country-level sources and apply to every city in Iraq; city pages add the local numbers.
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 12.6 per 100,000 people | Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population, 2021 |
| Political stability | 33 (percentile, World Bank WGI) | Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100), 2025 |
| Health coverage index | 64 (WHO UHC index, 0–100) | UHC service coverage index, 2023 |
| Life expectancy | 71.5 years | Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes, 2021 |
| Human Development Index | 0.695 | Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023), 2023 |
| English proficiency | very low | EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band), 2024 |
| Starlink | available | Starlink availability map, 2026-10 |
Visas and entry
What three common passports get at the border, from the passport index. Pick your own passport on the ranker for the full picture.
| Passport | Entry rule |
|---|---|
| US passport | visa on arrival |
| EU passport | visa on arrival |
| UK passport | visa on arrival |
Rank Iraq's cities for your passport →
No long-stay guide for Iraq yet. Entry rules above are for short visits.
Compare cities in Iraq
Head-to-head pages for the pairs people look at most.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Iraq good for digital nomads?
- Erbil scores 36/100 under balanced weights, which ranks it 987 of 1,000 cities in the dataset. Iraq's 2 cities average 35.4/100. Strongest factors in Erbil: healthcare and internet; weakest: air quality.
- What is the cheapest city in Iraq for a remote worker?
- There is no open cost-of-living figure for Iraq yet, so its cities are scored on the other factors.
- Does Iraq have a digital nomad visa?
- Not according to the sources the dataset uses. Short visits follow the entry rules for your passport.
- How long can a US, EU or UK citizen stay in Iraq without a visa?
- US passport: visa on arrival. EU passport (Germany as reference): visa on arrival. UK passport: visa on arrival. Source: Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), 2026-02.
- Which city in Iraq has the fastest internet?
- Erbil, with a measured median download of 11.4 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024). Measured speeds run below advertised plans everywhere; 40 Mbps measured is already good.
- How safe is Iraq?
- Iraq records 12.6 homicides per 100,000 people (Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population, 2021) and sits at the 33th percentile for political stability (World Bank WGI, 2025). These are national figures; city pages note local caveats.
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