Iowa City, IA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Iowa City, IA Summary

Cost of living in Iowa City research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Iowa City is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Iowa, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Iowa City is 102, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Iowa City is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • Iowa City ranks as the #77 cheapest in Iowa out of 80.

  • Iowa City ranks as the #3,380 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Iowa City is $230,700.

  • The median income in Iowa City is $51,925.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
102
Iowa City's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Iowa City, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Iowa City has an overall cost of living index of 102, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Iowa City has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Iowa's index of 89.

The standard of living in Iowa City ranks as #77 most affordable out of the 80 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Iowa City ranks as the #3 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Iowa City, check out:

77 out of 80
In Iowa
3,380 out of 6,412
In America

Iowa City Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Iowa City. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Iowa City is 103.

  • The Groceries index in Iowa City is 99.

  • The Health index in Iowa City is 97.

  • The Housing index in Iowa City is 101.

  • The Transportation index in Iowa City is 120.

  • The Utilities index in Iowa City is 89.

Living Expense Iowa City Iowa National Average
Overall 102 89 100
Services 103 95 100
Groceries 99 98 100
Health 97 99 100
Housing 101 73 100
Transportation 120 98 100
Utilities 89 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Iowa City Cost of Living Vs. IA

Iowa City, IA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Iowa, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Iowa City is $230,700.

  • The Median Rent in Iowa City is $1,030.

  • The Median Income in Iowa City is $51,925.

  • The Home Value To Income in Iowa City is 4.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Iowa City is 0.24x.

Statistic Iowa City Iowa United States
Median Home Value $230,700 $160,700 $244,900
Median Rent $1,030 $845 $1,163
Median Income $51,925 $65,429 $69,021
Home Value To Income 4.4x 2.5x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.15x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Iowa City, IA
$230,700
Median Home Value
$1,030
Median Rent
$51,925
Median Income

Iowa City, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Iowa City Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Iowa City Iowa
Shampoo $0.98 $1.06
Movie $11.13 $10.68
Bowling $16.5 $14.67
Haircut $24.85 $18.62
Beauty Salon $33.62 $39.05

Detailed Iowa City Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Iowa City Iowa
Ground Beef $3.76 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.37 $1.39
Milk $2.62 $2.05
Potatoes $2.58 $3.29
Pizza $10.49 $10.62
Beer $8.92 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.65 $2.34

Detailed Iowa City Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Iowa City Iowa
Optometrist $126.33 $108.57
Doctor $121.0 $116.17
Dentist $79.33 $99.13

Detailed Iowa City Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Iowa City Iowa
Gasoline $2.34 $2.22
Tire Balancing $79.27 $50.07

Detailed Iowa City Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Iowa City Iowa
All Electricity $132.5 $167.67
Phone $179.32 $175.64

Iowa City SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
6
Amenities
9
Education
9
Commute
9

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