Moving to China from Iowa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iowa to China — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iowa to China, you would find that China is 58.2% cheaper than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly CN¥209,000 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is China cheaper than Iowa?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 75.3% less
Groceries
pay 48.0% less
Transportation
pay 26.9% less
Housing
pay 72.9% less
Childcare
pay 32.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 55.1% 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 China?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → CN¥209,000
To maintain the same standard of living in China
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 China cost about 47% less than cities in Iowa.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to China
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Iowa to China, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to China?
Top countries of origin for China's foreign-born residents.
- 303,095
- 209,555
- 144,831
- 57,602
- 56,657
- 30,811
- · · ·
-
7.20,762
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iowa and China stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
China performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
China 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 China leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
China performs significantly better than Iowa across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), 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 China vs Iowa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Des Moines | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
China Meteorological Administration
Can you move from Iowa to China?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and China. To live, work, or study long-term in China, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check China's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting China
Visa Required
China 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 China than Iowa?
Generally yes: China runs about 58% cheaper than Iowa on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to China?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around CN¥52,250 in China for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from China?
Working remotely from China's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iowa and China.
How is healthcare in China compared to Iowa?
China performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in China compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Shanghai is 68°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Shanghai receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In Iowa, the official language is English.
