Moving to Iowa from New Zealand
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to Iowa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from New Zealand to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 12.7% more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,152 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly $71,957 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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 New Zealand to Iowa.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,152 → $71,957
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 8.1% more
Groceries
pay 17.1% more
Transportation
pay 24.8% less
Housing
pay 21.3% more
Childcare
pay 60.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.6% 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 18% more than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from New Zealand to Iowa, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from New Zealand 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
- · · ·
-
93.49,640
New Zealand
Key Indicator Comparison
How New Zealand and Iowa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
New Zealand performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
New Zealand 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
Iowa performs significantly better than New Zealand across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
New Zealand performs better than Iowa 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 | Wellington | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand 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.
New Zealand passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting New Zealand
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 Iowa than New Zealand?
Generally yes: Iowa runs about 4% cheaper than New Zealand on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
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 NZ$130,152 comparable salary, that's around $17,989 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 New Zealand and Iowa.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Iowa?
The official language in Iowa is English. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
