Moving to Austria from Iowa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iowa to Austria — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iowa to Austria, you would find that Austria is 20.2% more expensive than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly €82,945 in Austria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Iowa to Austria.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €82,945
To maintain the same standard of living in Austria
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 35.1% more
Groceries
pay 24.3% more
Transportation
pay 60.9% more
Housing
pay 19.4% more
Childcare
pay 34.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.9% 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 Iowa to Austria, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iowa and Austria stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Austria performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Austria 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 Austria leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Austria 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 | Vienna |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 43°/31°F (6°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 67°/50°F (20°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 75°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 48°/37°F (9°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Vienna |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C) |
National Weather Service
GeoSphere AustriaVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Austria. To live, work, or study long-term in Austria, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Austria's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Austria
Visa Free
Austria 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 Austria than Iowa?
Day-to-day costs in Austria run about 27% higher than Iowa on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Austria?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around €20,736 in Austria for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Austria?
Working remotely from Austria's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iowa and Austria.
How is healthcare in Austria compared to Iowa?
Austria performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Austria compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Vienna is 58°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Vienna receives around 24.4 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in Austria?
The official language in Austria is German. In Iowa, the official language is English.
