Moving to Iowa from Canada
What to Expect
Considering a move from Canada to Iowa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Canada to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 2.2% cheaper than Canada overall. A CA$110,000 salary in Canada would need to be roughly $76,800 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Iowa cheaper than Canada?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 7.2% more
Groceries
pay 3.1% less
Transportation
pay 17.1% less
Housing
pay 7.6% less
Childcare
pay 45.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 18.8% 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.
What salary do you need in Iowa?
What does your salary buy?
CA$110,000 → $76,800
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 1% more than cities in Canada.
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 Canada to Iowa.
people moved from Canada 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
- · · ·
-
13.793,897
Canada
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iowa compared to Canada.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Canada performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Canada 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 Canada leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Canada 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 (2008), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Iowa vs Canada
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Toronto | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 34°/23°F (1°/-5°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/49°F (18°/10°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/35°F (8°/2°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Toronto | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°/19°F (-1.1°/-7.3°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 32°/21°F (-0.2°/-6.3°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 40°/28°F (4.6°/-2.0°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 52°/39°F (11.3°/3.8°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 65°/50°F (18.5°/9.9°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.8°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.9°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 78°/63°F (25.3°/17.3°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 69°/56°F (20.7°/13.2°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.3°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 45°/36°F (7.4°/2.2°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 35°/25°F (1.8°/-3.7°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
National Weather Service
Can you move from Canada to Iowa?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada 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.
Canada passport holder visiting United States
Visa Free
United States passport holder visiting Canada
Visa FreeData: 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 Canada?
Iowa and Canada are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Budget about $19,200 for 3 months in Iowa (based on a CA$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 Canada and Iowa are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Canada?
Canada performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 55°F in Toronto. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Toronto gets 32.8 in.
What language do they speak in Iowa?
The official language in Iowa is English. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
