Moving to Argentina from Iowa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iowa to Argentina — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iowa to Argentina, you would find that Argentina is 34.9% cheaper than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly ARS74,600,000 in Argentina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Guaraní and Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Buenos Aires averages 73°F vs 60°F in Des Moines, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Argentina cheaper than Iowa?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 5.7% less
Groceries
pay 33.6% less
Transportation
pay 7.1% less
Housing
pay 51.9% less
Childcare
pay 72.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 40.1% 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 Argentina?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ARS74,600,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Argentina
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 Argentina cost about 22% less than cities in Iowa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Iowa to Argentina, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iowa and Argentina stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Argentina performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Argentina performs significantly 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 performs better than Argentina across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Argentina performs significantly better than Iowa across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Argentina vs Iowa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Des Moines | Buenos Aires |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 67°/52°F (19°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 64°/48°F (17°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 78°/61°F (26°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Buenos Aires |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 84°/67°F (28.7°/19.2°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 80°/64°F (26.8°/17.7°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 73°/57°F (22.9°/13.8°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.1°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 60°/45°F (15.3°/7.4°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.8°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.3°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 73°/56°F (22.7°/13.3°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Servicio Meteorológico Nacional
Can you move from Iowa to Argentina?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Argentina. To live, work, or study long-term in Argentina, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Argentina's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Argentina
Visa Free
Argentina passport holder visiting United States
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 Argentina than Iowa?
Generally yes: Argentina runs about 35% cheaper than Iowa on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Argentina?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around ARS18,650,000 in Argentina for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Argentina?
Working remotely from Argentina's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iowa and Argentina.
How is healthcare in Argentina compared to Iowa?
Argentina performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Argentina compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Buenos Aires is 73°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Buenos Aires receives around 48.7 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in Argentina?
The official languages in Argentina are Guaraní and Spanish. In Iowa, the official language is English.
