2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Des Moines, IA vs Elko, NV

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Elko or is it cheaper to live in Des Moines?
- Elko is 16.5% more expensive than Des Moines.

Which city has more affordable housing, Elko or Des Moines?
- Elko housing costs are 80.6% more expensive than Des Moines housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Des Moines or is Health Care more affordable in Elko.
- Health related expenses are 21.5% more in Elko.
 Des Moines, IAElko, NVUnited States
 Overall  Unlock100.9100
 Food & Groceries96.0  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock124.4100
 Housing57.8  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$301,300$338,100
 Utilities90  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock92.6100
 Miscellaneous112.2  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Des Moines    53 Reviews

Des Moines is a ok and pretty quiet place but as a teen it could be dramatic because Des Moines do have is fair or violents places to avoid in Des Moines would be the  More

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Dude · 
Over 5 years ago

This city is violent, there are too many gangs especially on the north  More

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Over 6 years ago

Good for the old that like slow pace and cheap buffets. Also good for non-descript mid-westerners that don't like a lot of action. No nightlife or mountains to hike  More

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Reviews for Elko    4 Reviews

Elko is like all small Nevada towns - limited in many things and the only change as far as the eye can see are over priced housing starts, drugs and crime. I really like  More

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Over 16 years ago

Spent my teen years in Elko & my parents still live there. It is extremely isolated. Life revolves around the mining industry. The old ranching families that live  More

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Over 17 years ago

Elko has an economy that is fairly typical of mining areas, that is, boom and bust. I've lived here for about 16 or so years. It's boomed tremendously twice and busted  More

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