Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Des Moines, IA: $2,171 a month against $3,005 in Hong Kong, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Hong Kong outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
Learn more

Des Moines, IA Living Index
145

Cost of Living Index in Hong Kong
Learn more

Hong Kong Living Index

Jump to prices

Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Hong Kong

🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)

$3,005

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Des Moines, IA and in Hong Kong

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,171 in Des Moines, IA versus $3,005 in Hong Kong.

Des Moines, IA $2,171
Hong Kong $3,005

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,236 in Des Moines, IA versus $4,643 in Hong Kong.

Des Moines, IA $3,236
Hong Kong $4,643

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,301 in Des Moines, IA versus $6,281 in Hong Kong.

Des Moines, IA $4,301
Hong Kong $6,281

Living in Des Moines, IA costs roughly 28% less than in Hong Kong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Moines, IA 60% above, Hong Kong 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$7.80 HK$61.2

152.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$64.7 HK$508

24.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$6.24 HK$48.97

95.83%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$5.01 HK$39.34

22.95%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$1.29 HK$10.12

127.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.11 HK$8.74

130.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$7.77 HK$61.0

-35.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$6.41 HK$50.3

-8.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.90 HK$22.79

-68.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.33 HK$18.29

30.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.23 HK$17.51

51.57%

Eggs

$4.00 $4.00

$3.45 HK$27.04

15.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$24.96 HK$196

-61.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$8.79 HK$69.0

12.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$17.71 HK$139

-22.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.15 HK$32.59

4.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.63 HK$20.62

-42.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.54 HK$35.65

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$4.09 HK$32.08

-10.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.22 HK$25.25

-4.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$3.26 HK$25.56

-34.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.65 HK$12.94

44.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.74 HK$13.62

25.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 $7.85

$13.45 HK$106

-41.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$15.16 HK$119

-2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.97 HK$15.44

-13.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.22 HK$17.42

39.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.28 HK$10.04

35.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 $58.1

$90.1 HK$707

-35.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.67 HK$28.84

-46.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.35 HK$10.60

-8.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.70 $19.70

$16.21 HK$127

21.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$4.20 HK$32.94

-77.86%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$44.9K HK$352.2K

-39.44%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$36.8K HK$288.9K

-31.69%

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

$185 $185

$238 HK$1,865

-22.30%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$15.70 HK$123

241.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$21.91 HK$172

220.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 $63.8

$91.1 HK$715

-30.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 $20.14

$9.14 HK$71.8

120.35%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 $9.99

$12.96 HK$102

-22.92%

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

$1,187 $1,187

$1,172 HK$9,201

1.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$22.2K HK$174.2K

-46.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 $59.5

$67.9 HK$533

-12.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.98 $42.98

$43.57 HK$342

-1.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$83.1 HK$652

21.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$123 HK$963

18.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 $1,177

$2,255 HK$17.7K

-47.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 $872

$1,752 HK$13.7K

-50.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$5,173 HK$40.6K

-66.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 $1,394

$3,543 HK$27.8K

-60.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,320 $2,320

$29.3K HK$229.7K

-92.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,325 $2,325

$17.5K HK$137.1K

-86.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,647 $3,647

$3,285 HK$25.8K

11.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

3.79

73.09%

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

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

Last update for Hong Kong: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2%

Hong Kong

$1.8K 58.3% 101% $879

Groceries & Markets

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1%

Hong Kong

$410 13.7% 17.4% $61

Eating Out

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1%

Hong Kong

$203 6.7% 38% $124

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2%

Hong Kong

$275 9.2% 10.8% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2%

Hong Kong

$143 4.8% 9% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9%

Hong Kong

$117 3.9% 39.8% $33

Getting Around

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4%

Hong Kong

$106 3.5% 44.4% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,177 in Des Moines, IA and $2,255 in Hong Kong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $65.0 in Hong Kong. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $410, with Des Moines, IA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🇭🇰 Hong Kong

🕒 Local time

03:11 3:11 AM

16:11 4:11 PM

13 h ahead of Des Moines, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

214,133

1,367,900 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Hong Kong Dollar HKD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 HKD = 0.127 USD

1 HKD = 0.113 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HKD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇭🇰 Hong Kong Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 7.85 HKD (1 HKD = 0.127 USD). 1 EUR = 8.82 HKD (1 HKD = 0.113 EUR).

HKD to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Des Moines, IA Hong Kong 12,350 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Des Moines, IA
Hong Kong

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

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

Des Moines, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 38% 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 11% 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: $1,177 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,255 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 $81.0 versus $65.0 in Hong Kong. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,171 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $3,005 in Hong Kong – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,171 in Des Moines, IA versus $3,005 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 $2,171 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 38% less than in Hong Kong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.