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 17.5% more expensive than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly A$125,000 in Australia to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Sydney averages 72°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 Australia cheaper than Iowa?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.4% more
Groceries
pay 6.4% more
Transportation
pay 37.9% more
Housing
pay 16.3% more
Childcare
pay 31.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.0% 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 Australia?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → A$125,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Australia
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 Australia cost about 5% more than cities in Iowa.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Australia
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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 generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Australia 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), The World Factbook (2020), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Australia vs Iowa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Des Moines | Sydney |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 69°/54°F (21°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 75°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Sydney |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.6°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.7°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 78°/65°F (25.4°/18.1°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 74°/60°F (23.3°/15.3°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 69°/54°F (20.6°/12.5°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 64°/49°F (18.0°/9.7°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 63°/48°F (17.4°/8.7°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 66°/49°F (18.9°/9.7°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.0°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 73°/58°F (22.8°/14.4°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 75°/61°F (23.8°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 78°/65°F (25.5°/18.3°C) |
National Weather Service
Bureau of MeteorologyCan you move from Iowa to Australia?
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 17% pricier than Iowa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Australia?
Budget about A$31,250 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 Sydney is 72°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Sydney receives around 48.1 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.
