Moving to Missouri from Iowa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iowa to Missouri — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iowa to Missouri, you would find that Missouri is 5.8% more expensive than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly $76,017 in Missouri to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iowa to Missouri.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $76,017
To maintain the same standard of living in Missouri
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 1.1% less
Groceries
pay 9.7% more
Transportation
pay 48.9% more
Housing
pay 5.7% more
Childcare
pay 5.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.1% 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.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iowa to Missouri.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Iowa performs better than Missouri across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Iowa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Missouri leads in adult obesity rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Iowa performs better than Missouri across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Iowa generally does better on infrastructure, though Missouri leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Iowa performs better than Missouri across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Iowa generally does better on family life, though Missouri leads in bachelor's degree or higher.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 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 | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Missouri than Iowa?
Costs in Missouri and Iowa are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.
How much money do I need to move to Missouri?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $19,004 in Missouri on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Missouri safe?
Iowa performs better than Missouri across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Missouri compared to Iowa?
Iowa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Missouri leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Missouri compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
