Moving to Iowa from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Iowa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 2.4 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly $180,000 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Iowa cheaper than China?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 4.1 times more
Groceries
pay 92.5% more
Transportation
pay 36.8% more
Housing
pay 3.7 times more
Childcare
pay 48.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.2 times 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?
CN¥500,000 → $180,000
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 88% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Iowa
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from China to Iowa, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from China 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
-
3.2,184,110
China
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
Key Indicator Comparison
How China and Iowa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
China performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
China 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 China leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
China performs better than Iowa across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), 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), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Iowa vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
National Weather Service
Can you move from China to Iowa?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting China
Visa RequiredData: 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 China?
Day-to-day costs in Iowa run about 139% higher than China on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CN¥500,000 comparable salary, that's around $45,000 in Iowa for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iowa?
Working remotely from Iowa's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in China and Iowa.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to China?
China performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to China?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Iowa?
The official language in Iowa is English. In China, the official language is Chinese.
