Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Hong Kong Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Hong Kong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,175 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,887 in Hong Kong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,225 in Des Moines, IA versus $4,496 in Hong Kong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,274 in Des Moines, IA versus $6,105 in Hong Kong.

Living in Des Moines, IA costs roughly 25% less than in Hong Kong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Moines, IA 58% above, Hong Kong 110% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 $19.96

$7.86 HK$61.6

153.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$64.5 HK$506

24.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$6.26 HK$49.12

94.57%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$4.89 HK$38.30

24.13%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$1.32 HK$10.38

123.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.11 HK$8.70

120.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$7.84 HK$61.5

-36.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 $5.66

$5.44 HK$42.64

4.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.99 HK$23.43

-69.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.27 HK$17.84

31.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.21 HK$17.33

51.13%

Eggs

$3.89 $3.89

$3.46 HK$27.13

12.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 $9.72

$26.62 HK$209

-63.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 $9.56

$8.50 HK$66.6

12.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 $13.62

$19.36 HK$152

-29.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.25 HK$33.31

3.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.41 HK$18.92

-36.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.47 HK$35.04

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$3.39 HK$26.60

13.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.15 HK$24.67

2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.24 HK$25.38

-31.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.50 HK$11.74

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.82 HK$14.25

16.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 $8.01

$13.53 HK$106

-40.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.12 $15.12

$15.68 HK$123

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.91 HK$14.97

-11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.23 HK$17.46

38.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.30 HK$10.17

36.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 $59.0

$88.3 HK$693

-33.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.65 HK$28.65

-44.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.31 HK$10.26

-7.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.07 $20.07

$16.23 HK$127

23.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$4.06 HK$31.82

-77.83%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$45.5K HK$356.8K

-22.90%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$36.8K HK$288.5K

-33.40%

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

$184 $184

$229 HK$1,792

-19.52%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$14.84 HK$116

261.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$21.48 HK$168

226.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.8 $64.8

$91.4 HK$716

-29.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 $20.02

$10.00 HK$78.4

100.20%

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 $15.20

$13.57 HK$106

12.01%

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

$1,136 $1,136

$1,043 HK$8,181

8.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$22.4K HK$175.4K

-46.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 $61.4

$64.2 HK$503

-4.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 $42.74

$40.51 HK$318

5.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$78.8 HK$618

33.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$121 HK$948

18.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 $1,146

$2,211 HK$17.3K

-48.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$853 $853

$1,682 HK$13.2K

-49.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 $1,686

$5,004 HK$39.2K

-66.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,432 $1,432

$3,371 HK$26.4K

-57.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,336 $2,336

$29.4K HK$230.7K

-92.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,281 $2,281

$17.2K HK$134.6K

-86.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,859 $3,859

$3,125 HK$24.5K

23.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

3.85

56.62%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Hong Kong: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,146 in Des Moines, IA and $2,211 in Hong Kong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $80.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $64.0 in Hong Kong. Groceries flip the comparison at $348 vs $415, with Des Moines, IA cheaper for home cooking.

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

Des Moines, IA vs Hong Kong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Des Moines, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Hong Kong. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Des Moines, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Des Moines, IA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,146 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,211 in Hong Kong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Des Moines, IA – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $64.0 in Hong Kong. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,175 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $2,887 in Hong Kong – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,175 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,887 in Hong Kong, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Des Moines, IA but tight or insufficient in Hong Kong. The gap between the two cities makes Des Moines, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Des Moines, IA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,175 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Des Moines, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Des Moines, IA and Hong Kong are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Des Moines, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Hong Kong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.