Moving to Australia from Iowa
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iowa to Australia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iowa to Australia, you would find that Australia is 17.8% more expensive than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly A$126,316 in Australia to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iowa and Australia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → A$126,316
To maintain the same standard of living in Australia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 6.1% more
Groceries
pay 7.4% more
Transportation
pay 47.1% more
Housing
pay 2.0% more
Childcare
pay 0.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 44.9% 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.
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 Australia cost about 5% more than cities in Iowa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Iowa to Australia.
people moved from United States to Australia · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Australia?
Top countries of origin for Australia's foreign-born residents.
- 1,285,149
- 653,232
- 611,266
- 579,264
- 286,303
- 269,812
- · · ·
-
14.116,620
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Australia compared to Iowa.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Australia performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Australia 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 Australia across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Australia performs significantly better than Iowa across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Des Moines | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) |
National Weather Service
Bureau of MeteorologyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Australia. To live, work, or study long-term in Australia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Australia's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Australia
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Australia passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Australia than Iowa?
On average Australia is around 18% pricier than Iowa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Australia?
Budget about A$31,579 for 3 months in Australia (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Australia?
From major Australia cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iowa and Australia are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Australia compared to Iowa?
Australia performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Australia compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in Australia?
Both Iowa and Australia share the same official language: English.
