Moving to Iowa from Virginia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Virginia to Iowa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Virginia to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 16.9% cheaper than Virginia. A $75,000 salary in Virginia would need to be roughly $57,678 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Des Moines averages 60°F vs 70°F in Richmond, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Virginia and Iowa.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $57,678
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 12.7% less
Groceries
pay 24.7% less
Transportation
pay 18.0% less
Housing
pay 21.6% less
Childcare
pay 33.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.3% 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.
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 19% less than cities in Virginia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iowa compared to Virginia.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Virginia generally does better on safety, though Iowa leads in property crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Virginia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Iowa performs significantly better than Virginia across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Virginia generally does better on infrastructure, though Iowa leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
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
Virginia generally does better on employment & economy, though Iowa leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Virginia 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)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Richmond | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/32°F (12°/0°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/65°F (30°/19°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Richmond | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/28°F (8.6°/-2.1°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 51°/31°F (10.7°/-0.8°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 60°/37°F (15.6°/2.8°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 70°/46°F (21.3°/7.8°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 78°/55°F (25.5°/12.8°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.1°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 90°/69°F (32.1°/20.5°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 88°/67°F (30.9°/19.7°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 81°/60°F (27.3°/15.6°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 71°/48°F (21.7°/9.1°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 61°/39°F (16.3°/4.1°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 51°/31°F (10.4°/-0.3°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iowa than Virginia?
On average Iowa is about 23% less expensive than Virginia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Budget about $14,420 for 3 months in Iowa (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Iowa safe?
Virginia generally does better on safety, though Iowa leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Virginia?
Virginia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iowa leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Virginia?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 70°F in Richmond. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Richmond gets 43.6 in.
