Moving to Nevada from Iowa
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iowa to Nevada? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iowa to Nevada, you would find that Nevada is 21.3% more expensive than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly $93,538 in Nevada to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iowa and Nevada.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $93,538
To maintain the same standard of living in Nevada
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 26.4% more
Groceries
pay 21.7% more
Transportation
pay 41.3% more
Housing
pay 34.3% more
Childcare
pay 7.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.7% more
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
The numbers behind daily life in Nevada compared to Iowa.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Iowa performs better than Nevada 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 Nevada 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 Nevada 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 Nevada 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 generally does better on employment & economy, though Nevada leads in median household income.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Iowa performs better than Nevada across all family life metrics.
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 | Carson City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 51°/26°F (10°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 72°/41°F (22°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 86°/49°F (30°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 56°/28°F (13°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Carson City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 45°/22°F (7.3°/-5.7°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 50°/25°F (9.9°/-3.7°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 57°/30°F (13.7°/-1.2°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 63°/34°F (17.1°/1.1°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 71°/41°F (21.9°/4.9°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 81°/47°F (27.3°/8.4°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 90°/52°F (32.0°/11.2°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 88°/51°F (31.1°/10.3°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 80°/43°F (26.9°/6.3°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 68°/35°F (19.9°/1.4°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 54°/27°F (12.4°/-2.7°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 45°/22°F (7.2°/-5.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Nevada than Iowa?
On average Nevada is around 25% pricier than Iowa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Nevada?
Budget about $23,384 for 3 months in Nevada (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Nevada safe?
Iowa performs better than Nevada across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Nevada compared to Iowa?
Iowa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nevada leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Nevada compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Carson City is 66°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Carson City receives around 9.7 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
