Moving to Iowa from Mexico
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Mexico to Iowa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Mexico to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 88.0% more expensive than Mexico overall. A MX$1,310,130 salary in Mexico would need to be roughly $96,769 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 74°F in Mexico City, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Mexico to Iowa.
What does your salary buy?
MX$1,310,130 → $96,769
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 58.9% more
Groceries
pay 36.0% more
Transportation
pay 2.7% less
Housing
pay 2.2 times more
Childcare
pay 4.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 90.2% 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 29% more than cities in Mexico.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Mexico to Iowa, based on official data.
people moved from Mexico to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
-
1.10,853,105
Mexico
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Mexico to Iowa.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Mexico performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iowa performs significantly better than Mexico 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 Mexico leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iowa performs significantly better than Mexico 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 | Mexico City | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Mexico City | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Mexico 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.
Mexico passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Mexico
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 Mexico?
No — Iowa is on average about 29% more expensive than Mexico. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $24,192 in Iowa on a MX$1,310,130 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Iowa?
Usually fine from major cities in Iowa. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Mexico?
Mexico performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Mexico?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 74°F in Mexico City. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Mexico City gets 32.1 in.
What language do they speak in Iowa?
The official language in Iowa is English. In Mexico, the official language is Spanish.
