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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,752 in Hong Kong versus $2,037 in Des Moines, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,269 in Hong Kong versus $3,079 in Des Moines, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,787 in Hong Kong versus $4,122 in Des Moines, IA.

Living in Hong Kong is roughly 35% more expensive than Des Moines, IA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hong Kong 105% above, Des Moines, IA 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.00 HK$70.5

$15.78 $15.78

-42.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.9 HK$509

$80.3 $80.3

-19.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.50 HK$50.9

$12.14 $12.14

-46.46%

Cappuccino

$5.08 HK$39.77

$4.83 $4.83

5.18%

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

$1.31 HK$10.23

$2.32 $2.32

-43.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 HK$8.23

$1.92 $1.92

-45.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.77 HK$53.0

$5.02 $5.02

34.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 HK$50.3

$7.13 $7.13

-9.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 HK$24.03

$0.97 $0.97

216.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 HK$17.21

$2.55 $2.55

-13.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 HK$15.39

$2.24 $2.24

-12.50%

Eggs

$3.50 HK$27.45

$3.53 $3.53

-0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.62 HK$201

$12.58 $12.58

103.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 HK$79.7

$10.56 $10.56

-3.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.56 HK$177

$13.13 $13.13

71.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 HK$27.32

$4.35 $4.35

-19.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 HK$17.45

$1.50 $1.50

48.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 HK$29.98

$3.77 $3.77

1.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 HK$24.05

$3.56 $3.56

-13.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 HK$17.80

$1.61 $1.61

40.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 HK$17.77

$3.03 $3.03

-25.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 HK$13.33

$2.24 $2.24

-24.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 HK$13.39

$1.12 $1.12

52.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.78 HK$100

$7.28 $7.28

75.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 HK$153

$15.29 $15.29

27.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 HK$14.42

$1.77 $1.77

3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 HK$21.03

$3.97 $3.97

-32.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 HK$13.29

$1.72 $1.72

-1.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 HK$501

$58.1 $58.1

10.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 HK$29.15

$2.04 $2.04

82.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 HK$10.74

$1.27 $1.27

7.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.62 HK$115

$19.89 $19.89

-26.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.08 HK$24.15

$0.77 $0.77

300.00%

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

$38.7K HK$302.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

48.48%

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

$32.2K HK$252.5K

$24.8K $24.8K

29.91%

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

$227 HK$1,778

$143 $143

58.79%

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

$17.78 HK$139

$51.9 $51.9

-65.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.40 HK$176

$53.3 $53.3

-57.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 HK$591

$67.9 $67.9

11.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.53 HK$66.8

$20.05 $20.05

-57.46%

Cinema Ticket

$12.54 HK$98.3

$15.11 $15.11

-17.01%

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

$987 HK$7,730

$1,371 $1,371

-28.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K HK$169.2K

$11.8K $11.8K

82.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.5 HK$583

$53.5 $53.5

39.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 HK$304

$42.62 $42.62

-8.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 HK$698

$73.3 $73.3

21.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 HK$1,102

$128 $128

10.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,235 HK$17.5K

$1,247 $1,247

79.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 HK$12.1K

$914 $914

68.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,752 HK$37.2K

$1,729 $1,729

174.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 HK$23.8K

$1,484 $1,484

104.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.9K HK$218.9K

$2,304 $2,304

1112.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$17.3K HK$135.6K

$2,327 $2,327

643.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,166 HK$24.8K

$3,631 $3,631

-12.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.97

6.5

-38.92%

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

Last update for Hong Kong: May 30, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,235 in Hong Kong and $1,247 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Hong Kong vs $80.0 in Des Moines, IA. Groceries flip the comparison at $424 vs $332, 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

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

Des Moines, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 35% 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.

On paper, Des Moines, IA earns 15% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,235 in Hong Kong versus $1,247 in Des Moines, IA. 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 $65.0 in Hong Kong. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,752 per month in Hong Kong versus $2,037 in Des Moines, IA – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,037 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,752 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 $2,037 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Des Moines, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Hong Kong and Des Moines, IA 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 35% less than in Hong Kong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.