Moving to Iowa from United Kingdom
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United Kingdom to Iowa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United Kingdom to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 15.0% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £56,000 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly $63,600 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 ↓Is Iowa cheaper than United Kingdom?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 6.1% less
Groceries
pay 21.3% more
Transportation
pay 46.1% less
Housing
pay 18.5% less
Childcare
pay 24.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.2% 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.
What salary do you need in Iowa?
What does your salary buy?
£56,000 → $63,600
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →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% less than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Iowa
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United Kingdom to Iowa, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United Kingdom 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
- · · ·
-
17.673,667
United Kingdom
Key Indicator Comparison
How United Kingdom and Iowa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
United Kingdom performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
United Kingdom performs better than Iowa across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Iowa vs United Kingdom
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | London | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Met Office
National Weather ServiceCan you move from United Kingdom to Iowa?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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.
United Kingdom passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting United Kingdom
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 United Kingdom?
Generally yes: Iowa runs about 15% cheaper than United Kingdom 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 £56,000 comparable salary, that's around $15,900 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 United Kingdom and Iowa.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to United Kingdom?
United Kingdom performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 60°F in London. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in Iowa?
Both United Kingdom and Iowa share the same official language: English.
