Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Des Moines, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Da Nang: $866 a month against $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Da Nang
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Da Nang Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index

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Da Nang

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$866

/mo nomad

Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Da Nang and in Des Moines, IA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Da Nang and in Des Moines, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $866 per month in Da Nang vs $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent included.

Da Nang $866
Des Moines, IA $2,171

A couple spends around $1,402 per month in Da Nang vs $3,236 in Des Moines, IA, rent included.

Da Nang $1,402
Des Moines, IA $3,236

A family of three spends $1,937 per month in Da Nang vs $4,301 in Des Moines, IA, rent included.

Da Nang $1,937
Des Moines, IA $4,301

Da Nang is about 60% cheaper than Des Moines, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Da Nang sits 36% below the global median, while Des Moines, IA is 60% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 ₫59.7K

$19.69 $19.69

-88.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.11 ₫494.6K

$80.8 $80.8

-76.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₫117.4K

$12.22 $12.22

-62.85%

Cappuccino

$1.73 ₫44.7K

$6.16 $6.16

-71.92%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₫15.5K

$2.93 $2.93

-79.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₫8,807

$2.56 $2.56

-86.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₫35.9K

$4.99 $4.99

-72.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₫60.8K

$5.89 $5.89

-60.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ₫41.1K

$0.91 $0.91

74.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₫31.7K

$3.03 $3.03

-59.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.1K

$3.38 $3.38

-68.93%

Eggs

$1.49 ₫38.5K

$4.00 $4.00

-62.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 ₫343.2K

$9.69 $9.69

36.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 ₫110.1K

$9.91 $9.91

-57.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₫247.8K

$13.68 $13.68

-30.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 ₫68.3K

$4.33 $4.33

-39.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ₫31.2K

$1.51 $1.51

-20.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ₫34.0K

$4.54 $4.54

-71.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ₫39.5K

$3.68 $3.68

-58.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.6K

$3.07 $3.07

-62.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 ₫33.9K

$2.14 $2.14

-38.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₫26.8K

$2.38 $2.38

-56.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₫13.7K

$2.19 $2.19

-75.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 ₫39.2K

$7.85 $7.85

-80.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ₫195.2K

$14.79 $14.79

-49.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₫24.2K

$1.70 $1.70

-45.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₫56.2K

$3.09 $3.09

-29.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ₫8,963

$1.73 $1.73

-79.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.01 ₫129.6K

$58.1 $58.1

-91.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 ₫26.9K

$1.97 $1.97

-47.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₫14.5K

$1.23 $1.23

-54.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.19 ₫496.8K

$19.70 $19.70

-2.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 ₫23.1K

$0.93 $0.93

-4.30%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.4K ₫788.3M

$27.2K $27.2K

12.04%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.1K ₫726.2M

$25.1K $25.1K

11.54%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$78.5 ₫2.0M

$185 $185

-57.45%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.17 ₫159.8K

$53.6 $53.6

-88.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.35 ₫216.1K

$70.2 $70.2

-88.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.33 ₫655.7K

$63.8 $63.8

-60.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.45 ₫141.0K

$20.14 $20.14

-72.94%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 ₫85.1K

$9.99 $9.99

-67.07%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$160 ₫4.2M

$1,187 $1,187

-86.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ₫385.9M

$12.0K $12.0K

24.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.73 ₫1.2M

$59.5 $59.5

-24.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.90 ₫722.2K

$42.98 $42.98

-35.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ₫2.6M

$101 $101

1.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 ₫2.1M

$145 $145

-44.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 ₫13.8M

$1,177 $1,177

-54.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₫9.0M

$872 $872

-60.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 ₫26.9M

$1,738 $1,738

-40.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₫20.6M

$1,394 $1,394

-43.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₫99.7M

$2,320 $2,320

66.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 ₫34.4M

$2,325 $2,325

-42.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 ₫9.2M

$3,647 $3,647

-90.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.72

6.56

63.41%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Da Nang: October 20, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Da Nang

$346 39.9%

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2% 152% $527

Groceries & Markets

Da Nang

$202 23.3%

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1% 73% $147

Clothing & Footwear

Da Nang

$115 13.3%

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2% 36.2% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Da Nang

$93 10.7%

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2% 231% $215

Eating Out

Da Nang

$68 7.9%

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1% 380% $259

Sport & Entertainment

Da Nang

$32 3.7%

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9% 163% $52

Getting Around

Da Nang

$10 1.2%

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4% 615% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $532 in Da Nang versus $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 929% higher in Des Moines, IA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Da Nang versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $349 – making Da Nang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Da Nang

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🕒 Local time

15:47 3:47 PM

03:47 3:47 AM

12 h behind Da Nang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,245,200

214,133

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Da Nang Des Moines, IA 13,210 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Da Nang
Des Moines, IA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Da Nang vs Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $866 in Da Nang, $2,171 in Des Moines, IA – roughly 151% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Da Nang and $3,256 in Des Moines, IA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Da Nang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 73% more in Des Moines, IA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Da Nang and $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Da Nang, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Des Moines, IA at $2,171. In Da Nang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Des Moines, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Da Nang to $2,171 in Des Moines, IA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Da Nang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Des Moines, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.