Moving to Iowa from Iceland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iceland to Iowa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iceland to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 13.1% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,414,750 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly $36,885 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Des Moines averages 60°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Iceland to Iowa.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,414,750 → $36,885
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 36.2% less
Groceries
pay 22.4% less
Transportation
pay 50.8% less
Housing
pay 8.4% less
Childcare
pay 2.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 27.9% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Iceland to Iowa, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Iceland 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
- · · ·
-
146.8,241
Iceland
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iceland and Iowa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Iceland performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iceland 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
Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Iowa leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iceland 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Reykjavik | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland 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.
Iceland passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting Iceland
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 Iceland?
Generally yes: Iowa runs about 51% cheaper than Iceland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
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 ISK9,414,750 comparable salary, that's around $9,221 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 Iceland and Iowa.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Iceland?
Iceland performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Iowa?
The official language in Iowa is English. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
