Moving to Iowa from Minnesota
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Minnesota to Iowa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Minnesota to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 8.6% cheaper than Minnesota. A $75,000 salary in Minnesota would need to be roughly $66,795 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle. How your spending power changes when you relocate from Minnesota to Iowa. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $66,795 To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa The biggest cost differences at a glance Restaurants pay 7.5% less Groceries pay 14.1% less Transportation pay 16.1% less Housing pay 9.6% less Childcare pay 12.4% less Entertainment and Sports pay 3.9% 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. How Minnesota and Iowa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Minnesota generally does better on safety, though Iowa leads in property crime rate. share of people without health insurance share of adults with obesity share of adults with diabetes share of adults who smoke Minnesota performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics. typical price of a home typical monthly gross rent share of homes that are owner-occupied Iowa generally does better on what about housing?, though Minnesota leads in homeownership rate. share of households with internet minutes each way to work Minnesota generally does better on infrastructure, though Iowa leads in average commute. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person typical annual income of a household share of people below the poverty line Minnesota generally does better on employment & economy, though Iowa leads in unemployment rate. average years of life at birth share of adults with a 4-year college degree Minnesota performs better than Iowa across all family life metrics. Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Generally yes: Iowa runs about 11% cheaper than Minnesota on average, though it depends heavily on the city. A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around $16,699 in Iowa for everyday spending, before movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit. Minnesota generally does better on safety, though Iowa leads in property crime rate. Minnesota performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics. The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 56°F in Saint Paul. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Saint Paul gets 28.5 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Key Indicator Comparison
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Saint Paul Des Moines Jan–Mar 32°/16°F (0°/-9°C) 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) Apr–Jun 69°/50°F (21°/10°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) Jul–Sep 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) Oct–Dec 43°/27°F (6°/-3°C) 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) View all months
Month Saint Paul Des Moines Jan 25°/9°F (-4.1°/-12.6°C) 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) Feb 30°/14°F (-1.3°/-9.9°C) 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) Mar 42°/26°F (5.5°/-3.6°C) 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) Apr 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C) 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) May 70°/50°F (21.2°/10.0°C) 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) Jun 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) Jul 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.1°C) 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) Aug 81°/62°F (27.1°/16.8°C) 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) Sep 72°/53°F (22.2°/11.7°C) 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) Oct 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.7°C) 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) Nov 42°/28°F (5.6°/-2.4°C) 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) Dec 28°/14°F (-2.5°/-10.1°C) 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iowa than Minnesota?
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Is Iowa safe?
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Minnesota?
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Minnesota?
