Moving to Iowa from Austria

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Austria to Iowa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Austria to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 2.8% cheaper than Austria overall. A €65,374 salary in Austria would need to be roughly $59,111 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Austria and Iowa.

What does your salary buy?

€65,374 $59,111

To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 24.2% less

Groceries

pay 9.0% less

Transportation

pay 33.6% less

Housing

pay 6.3% more

Childcare

pay 60.0% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 8.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.15 USD (June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Get free moving quotes to Iowa

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Austria to Iowa.

Moved in 2023
400 ↑ 9% vs 2022

people moved from Austria to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Iowa compared to Austria.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

AT
20.1%
IA
38.7%

Austria performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

AT
93.0%
IA
87.9%

Austria performs better than Iowa across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

AT
5.2%
IA
3.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

AT
$64,600
IA
$63,747

Iowa generally does better on employment & economy, though Austria leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AT
82.3 yrs
IA
77.5 yrs

Austria performs better than Iowa across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Vienna Rain: 24.4 in/yr (620 mm)
58° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Des Moines Rain: 36.0 in/yr (915 mm)
60° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Vienna Des Moines
Jan–Mar 43°/31°F (6°/0°C) 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 67°/50°F (20°/10°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 75°/58°F (24°/14°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 48°/37°F (9°/3°C) 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Vienna Des Moines
Jan 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C) 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C)
Feb 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C) 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C)
Mar 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C) 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C)
Apr 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C) 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C)
May 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C)
Jun 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C) 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C)
Jul 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C) 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C)
Aug 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C) 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C)
Sep 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C) 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C)
Oct 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C) 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C)
Nov 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C) 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C)
Dec 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C) 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C)

Data: GeoSphere Austria GeoSphere Austria, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Austria 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.

Austria passport

Austria passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Austria passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Austria

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Austria without a 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 Iowa than Austria?

On average Iowa is about 21% less expensive than Austria, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Iowa?

Budget about $14,778 for 3 months in Iowa (based on a €65,374 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 Austria and Iowa are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Austria?

Austria performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Austria?

The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 58°F in Vienna. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Vienna gets 24.4 in.

What language do they speak in Iowa?

The official language in Iowa is English. In Austria, the official language is German.

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At a Glance

AT
Population 8,913,088 3,046,355
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages German English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +43 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 112 911