Moving to Iowa from Uruguay
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Uruguay to Iowa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Uruguay to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 27.1% more expensive than Uruguay overall. A UYU3,018,578 salary in Uruguay would need to be roughly $71,072 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 71°F in Montevideo, 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?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Uruguay to Iowa.
What does your salary buy?
UYU3,018,578 → $71,072
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 4.5% more
Groceries
pay 22.9% more
Transportation
pay 33.1% less
Housing
pay 56.0% more
Childcare
pay 2.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 32.8% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Uruguay to Iowa, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Uruguay 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
- · · ·
-
92.50,274
Uruguay
Key Indicator Comparison
How Uruguay and Iowa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Uruguay performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Uruguay 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 Uruguay leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Uruguay 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 | Montevideo | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 61°/46°F (16°/8°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Montevideo | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 80°/61°F (26.5°/16.3°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Uruguay 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.
Uruguay passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Uruguay
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 Uruguay?
Generally yes: Iowa runs about 5% cheaper than Uruguay 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 UYU3,018,578 comparable salary, that's around $17,768 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 Uruguay and Iowa.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Uruguay?
Uruguay performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Uruguay?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 71°F in Montevideo. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Montevideo gets 43.3 in.
What language do they speak in Iowa?
The official language in Iowa is English. In Uruguay, the official language is Spanish.
