Moving to Greece from Iowa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iowa to Greece — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iowa to Greece, you would find that Greece is 25.5% cheaper than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly €49,800 in Greece to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Greek. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Athens 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 Greece cheaper than Iowa?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 16.9% less
Groceries
pay 26.5% less
Transportation
pay 35.1% more
Housing
pay 43.0% less
Childcare
pay 63.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 24.7% 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 Greece?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €49,800
To maintain the same standard of living in Greece
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 Greece cost about 25% less than cities in Iowa.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Greece
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Iowa to Greece, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iowa and Greece stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Greece performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iowa performs better than Greece 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 Greece across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Greece performs significantly better than Iowa across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), 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 Greece vs Iowa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Des Moines | Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Hellenic National Meteorological Service
Can you move from Iowa to Greece?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Greece. To live, work, or study long-term in Greece, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Greece's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Greece
Visa Free
Greece 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 Greece than Iowa?
Generally yes: Greece runs about 26% cheaper than Iowa on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Greece?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around €12,450 in Greece for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Greece?
Working remotely from Greece's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iowa and Greece.
How is healthcare in Greece compared to Iowa?
Greece performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Greece compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Athens is 72°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Athens receives around 16.3 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in Greece?
The official language in Greece is Greek. In Iowa, the official language is English.
