Moving to Iowa from Australia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Australia to Iowa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Australia to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 14.9% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$110,000 salary in Australia would need to be roughly $65,800 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Des Moines averages 60°F vs 72°F in Sydney, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Iowa cheaper than Australia?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.3% less
Groceries
pay 6.0% less
Transportation
pay 27.5% less
Housing
pay 14.0% less
Childcare
pay 23.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.8% 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.
What salary do you need in Iowa?
What does your salary buy?
A$110,000 → $65,800
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Iowa cost about 5% less than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Iowa
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Australia to Iowa.
people moved from Australia to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
63.103,446
Australia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iowa compared to Australia.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Australia performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Australia performs better than Iowa across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Iowa generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Australia performs better than Iowa across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), The World Factbook (2020), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Iowa vs Australia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sydney | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 69°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sydney | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.6°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.7°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 78°/65°F (25.4°/18.1°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 74°/60°F (23.3°/15.3°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 69°/54°F (20.6°/12.5°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (18.0°/9.7°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 63°/48°F (17.4°/8.7°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 66°/49°F (18.9°/9.7°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.0°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 73°/58°F (22.8°/14.4°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 75°/61°F (23.8°/16.3°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 78°/65°F (25.5°/18.3°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Bureau of Meteorology
National Weather ServiceCan you move from Australia to Iowa?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Australia passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting Australia
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iowa than Australia?
On average Iowa is about 15% less expensive than Australia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Budget about $16,450 for 3 months in Iowa (based on a A$110,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iowa?
From major Iowa cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Australia and Iowa are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Australia?
Australia performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 72°F in Sydney. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Sydney gets 48.1 in.
What language do they speak in Iowa?
Both Australia and Iowa share the same official language: English.
