Moving to United Kingdom from Iowa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iowa to United Kingdom — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iowa to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 23.8% more expensive than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly £71,833 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Iowa to United Kingdom.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → £71,833
To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.0% more
Groceries
pay 11.3% less
Transportation
pay 92.8% more
Housing
pay 21.0% more
Childcare
pay 17.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 26.0% 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.
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 United Kingdom cost about 10% more than cities in Iowa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Iowa to United Kingdom, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United States to United Kingdom · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iowa and United Kingdom stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
United Kingdom performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
United Kingdom performs significantly better than Iowa 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 United Kingdom across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
United Kingdom performs significantly better than Iowa 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 | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) |
National Weather Service
Met OfficeVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom than Iowa?
Day-to-day costs in United Kingdom run about 27% higher than Iowa on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around £17,958 in United Kingdom for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?
Working remotely from United Kingdom's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iowa and United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Iowa?
United Kingdom performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in United Kingdom?
Both Iowa and United Kingdom share the same official language: English.
