Moving to Sri Lanka from Iowa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iowa to Sri Lanka — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iowa to Sri Lanka, you would find that Sri Lanka is 56.8% cheaper than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly LKR13,780,089 in Sri Lanka to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Sinhala and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Colombo averages 87°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 ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Iowa to Sri Lanka.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → LKR13,780,089
To maintain the same standard of living in Sri Lanka
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 63.4% less
Groceries
pay 25.9% less
Transportation
pay 32.0% less
Housing
pay 77.2% less
Childcare
pay 97.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 50.9% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Iowa to Sri Lanka, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Sri Lanka?
Top countries of origin for Sri Lanka's foreign-born residents.
- 10,837
- 5,168
- 2,481
- 1,753
- 1,688
- 1,416
- · · ·
-
14.613
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iowa and Sri Lanka stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Sri Lanka performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iowa performs better than Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iowa performs better than Sri Lanka across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 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 | Colombo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Colombo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
National Meteorological Centre
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Sri Lanka. To live, work, or study long-term in Sri Lanka, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sri Lanka's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Sri Lanka
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka than Iowa?
Generally yes: Sri Lanka runs about 45% cheaper than Iowa on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Sri Lanka?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around LKR3,445,022 in Sri Lanka for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Sri Lanka?
Working remotely from Sri Lanka's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iowa and Sri Lanka.
How is healthcare in Sri Lanka compared to Iowa?
Sri Lanka performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Sri Lanka compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Colombo is 87°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Colombo receives around 99.4 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in Sri Lanka?
The official languages in Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil. In Iowa, the official language is English.
