Moving to Iowa from Latvia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Latvia to Iowa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Latvia to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 49.6% more expensive than Latvia overall. A €65,577 salary in Latvia would need to be roughly $87,285 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Des Moines averages 60°F vs 50°F in Riga, 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 Latvia to Iowa.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → $87,285
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 34.9% more
Groceries
pay 74.6% more
Transportation
pay 1.1% more
Housing
pay 2.3 times more
Childcare
pay 83.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 40.8% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Latvia to Iowa, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Latvia to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
129.22,342
Latvia
Key Indicator Comparison
How Latvia and Iowa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Latvia performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Latvia performs 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 significantly better than Latvia across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iowa performs significantly better than Latvia across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Riga | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riga | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Latvia and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Latvia passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting Latvia
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iowa than Latvia?
Day-to-day costs in Iowa run about 16% higher than Latvia on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,577 comparable salary, that's around $21,821 in Iowa for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iowa?
Working remotely from Iowa's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Latvia and Iowa.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Latvia?
Latvia performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Latvia?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 50°F in Riga. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Riga gets 24.9 in.
What language do they speak in Iowa?
The official language in Iowa is English. In Latvia, the official language is Latvian.
