Moving to Oklahoma from Iowa
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iowa to Oklahoma? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iowa to Oklahoma, you would find that Oklahoma is 7.6% more expensive than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly $77,501 in Oklahoma to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Oklahoma City averages 71°F vs 60°F in Des Moines, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iowa and Oklahoma.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $77,501
To maintain the same standard of living in Oklahoma
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 1.7% less
Groceries
pay 5.5% more
Transportation
pay 22.9% more
Housing
pay 8.6% more
Childcare
pay 19.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 8.8% 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
The numbers behind daily life in Oklahoma compared to Iowa.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Iowa performs better than Oklahoma 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 performs better than Oklahoma across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Iowa generally does better on what about housing?, though Oklahoma leads in median home value.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Iowa performs better than Oklahoma across all infrastructure metrics.
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 Oklahoma 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 performs better than Oklahoma 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 | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 55°/33°F (13°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 80°/58°F (26°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 90°/69°F (32°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 60°/39°F (16°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 49°/28°F (9.3°/-2.5°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 53°/31°F (11.9°/-0.6°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 62°/39°F (16.6°/4.0°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 71°/48°F (21.5°/9.1°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 80°/58°F (26.4°/14.7°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 88°/67°F (30.9°/19.4°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 93°/72°F (34.0°/22.2°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 92°/71°F (33.6°/21.5°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 84°/63°F (28.7°/17.1°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 72°/50°F (22.4°/10.1°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 60°/39°F (15.6°/3.9°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 49°/29°F (9.7°/-1.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Oklahoma than Iowa?
On average Oklahoma is around 3% pricier than Iowa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Oklahoma?
Budget about $19,375 for 3 months in Oklahoma (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Oklahoma safe?
Iowa performs better than Oklahoma across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Oklahoma compared to Iowa?
Iowa performs better than Oklahoma across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Oklahoma compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Oklahoma City is 71°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Oklahoma City receives around 32.4 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
