Moving to Belgium from Iowa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iowa to Belgium — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iowa to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 5.4% more expensive than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly €70,600 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Belgium cheaper than Iowa?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 22.7% more
Groceries
pay 7.8% less
Transportation
pay 53.7% more
Housing
pay 6.9% less
Childcare
pay 0.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.6% 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 Belgium?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €70,600
To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium
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 Belgium cost about 3% 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 Belgium, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United States to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iowa and Belgium stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Belgium performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Belgium 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 Belgium across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Belgium performs significantly better than Iowa across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), 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 Belgium vs Iowa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Des Moines | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Institut Royal Météorologique
Can you move from Iowa to Belgium?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Belgium. To live, work, or study long-term in Belgium, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Belgium's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa Free
Belgium 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 Belgium than Iowa?
Day-to-day costs in Belgium run about 5% higher than Iowa on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Belgium?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around €17,650 in Belgium for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Belgium?
Working remotely from Belgium's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iowa and Belgium.
How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Iowa?
Belgium performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Belgium compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in Belgium?
The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In Iowa, the official language is English.
