Cost of Living in Iowa

The cost of living in Iowa is 13% higher than the national average
Cost of Living in Iowa Compared to National Average
Housing (Buy and Rent) 27% lower
Utilities (Monthly) 12% lower
Food 3% lower
Healthcare 5% lower
Transportation 1% higher
Goods & Services 65% higher
Summary

The cost of living in Iowa is 13% higher than the national average. Housing is 27% lower than the national average, while utilities are 12% lower. When it comes to basic necessities such as food and clothing, groceries are around 3% lower than in the rest of the country, while clothing costs 65% higher.

Healthcare services such as doctor check-ups and dentistry cost 5% lower in Iowa compared to the national average. At the same time, non-necessary expenses such as entertainment and grooming services are 65% higher.

The Cost of Living in Iowa Largest Cities Compared to the National Average

This is how much pricier or cheaper it is to live in Iowa’s 12 largest cities compared to the national average.
The cost of living in Iowa varies depending on the city you live in. The priciest city in Iowa is Spencer, where the cost of living is 2% lower compared to the state average and 11% higher than in the rest of the U.S. The cheapest major city in Iowa is Sioux City, with a cost of living 30% lower below the state average and 21% lower than the national average.
City, State Compared to State Average Compared to National Average
Spencer, IA 2% lower 11% higher
Spirit Lake, IA 4% lower 9% higher
Iowa City, IA 5% lower 7% higher
Estherville, IA 6% lower 7% higher
Cedar Rapids, IA 8% lower 4% higher
Ames, IA 17% lower 6% lower
Mason City, IA 18% lower 7% lower
Sac City, IA 18% lower 7% lower
Council Bluffs, IA 19% lower 8% lower
Carroll, IA 19% lower 8% lower
Dubuque, IA 20% lower 9% lower
Davenport, IA 20% lower 10% lower
Storm Lake, IA 22% lower 12% lower
Burlington, IA 23% lower 12% lower
Waterloo, IA 24% lower 14% lower
Des Moines, IA 24% lower 14% lower
Sioux City, IA 30% lower 21% lower
What is a cost of living calculator?

The cost of living calculator tells you how much money you need to maintain your current standard of living in a different city. The cost of living comparison is based on your income and the price of basic necessities such as housing, transportation or food in the two cities you selected. Use the calculator to find out what income you will need in a new city and how much more or less you’ll need to budget for basic expenses.

Where does the data come from?

Consumer goods, services and home prices are sourced from The Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER).
The data on this page is updated bi-annually and it was last published in September 2025.

Average rent data is our in-house proprietary data from Yardi Matrix, where available. For the remaining locations, C2ER rent data was used. Yardi Matrix is a business development and asset management tool for brokers, sponsors, banks and equity sources underwriting investments in the multifamily, office, industrial and self-storage sectors, a division of Yardi Systems, Inc.

Household income data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent estimates.

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