Moving to Iowa from Malaysia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Malaysia to Iowa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Malaysia to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 2.7 times more expensive than Malaysia overall. A MYR305,250 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly $108,120 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Des Moines averages 60°F vs 90°F in Kuala Lumpur, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Malaysia and Iowa.
What does your salary buy?
MYR305,250 → $108,120
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.8 times more
Groceries
pay 70.2% more
Transportation
pay 81.9% more
Housing
pay 3.2 times more
Childcare
pay 4.9 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 100.0% 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 Iowa cost about 52% more than cities in Malaysia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Malaysia to Iowa.
people moved from Malaysia 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
- · · ·
-
77.73,947
Malaysia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iowa compared to Malaysia.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Malaysia performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Malaysia 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 generally does better on employment & economy, though Malaysia leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iowa performs significantly better than Malaysia 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 | Kuala Lumpur | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuala Lumpur | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
Malaysian Meteorological Department,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia 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.
Malaysia passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Malaysia
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 Malaysia?
On average Iowa is around 44% pricier than Malaysia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Budget about $27,030 for 3 months in Iowa (based on a MYR305,250 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iowa?
From major Iowa cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Malaysia and Iowa are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Malaysia?
Malaysia performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Malaysia?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.
What language do they speak in Iowa?
The official language in Iowa is English. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
