Moving to Iowa from Vietnam
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Vietnam to Iowa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Vietnam to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 2.6 times more expensive than Vietnam overall. A ₫1,900,000,000 salary in Vietnam would need to be roughly $191,000 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 91°F in Ho Chi Minh City, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Iowa cheaper than Vietnam?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 5.4 times more
Groceries
pay 92.2% more
Transportation
pay 69.3% more
Housing
pay 3.2 times more
Childcare
pay 2.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.1 times 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.
What salary do you need in Iowa?
What does your salary buy?
₫1,900,000,000 → $191,000
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 78% more than cities in Vietnam.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Iowa
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Vietnam to Iowa, based on official data.
people moved from Vietnam 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
- · · ·
-
7.1,403,193
Vietnam
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Vietnam to Iowa.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Vietnam performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iowa performs significantly better than Vietnam 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
Vietnam generally does better on employment & economy, though Iowa leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iowa performs significantly better than Vietnam across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), 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 Vietnam
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ho Chi Minh City | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 94°/79°F (34°/26°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 91°/77°F (33°/25°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ho Chi Minh City | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.4°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.1°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 92°/77°F (33.6°/24.9°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 94°/80°F (34.5°/26.4°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 95°/80°F (34.9°/26.4°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 92°/78°F (33.5°/25.5°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.2°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 91°/77°F (32.9°/25.1°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 91°/77°F (32.6°/25.0°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.0°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 90°/77°F (32.4°/24.9°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 89°/75°F (31.6°/23.9°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration,
National Weather Service
Can you move from Vietnam to Iowa?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Vietnam 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.
Vietnam passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: 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 Vietnam?
No — Iowa is on average about 160% more expensive than Vietnam. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $47,750 in Iowa on a ₫1,900,000,000 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 Vietnam?
Vietnam performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Vietnam?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 91°F in Ho Chi Minh City. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Ho Chi Minh City gets 65.1 in.
What language do they speak in Iowa?
The official language in Iowa is English. In Vietnam, the official language is Vietnamese.
