| | Iowa City, IA | Ames, IA | United States |
| Overall | 89.6 | 87.6 | 100 |
| Food & Groceries | 99.7 | 97.3 | 100 |
| Health | 104.0 | 120.8 | 100 |
| Housing | 78.7 | 88.5 | 100 |
| Median Home Cost | $265,800 | $239,100 | $338,100 |
| Utilities | 9,390.0% | 9,860.0% | 10,000.0% |
| Transportation | 68.5 | 67.2 | 100 |
| Miscellaneous | 117.6 | 114.1 | 100 |
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
DID YOU KNOW?
In order to keep your same standard of living your salary can vary greatly - whether you buy or rent, require child care, or want to include taxes. This is why we are now offering a Premium Salary & Cost of Living Calculator.
Our Premium Calculator Includes:
- Compare Cities cost of living across 9 different categories
- Personal salary calculations can optionally include Home ownership or rental, Child care, and Taxes (with details on state and local sales, income, property and automobile taxes)
- Includes the cost of Child Care for toddlers or infants, at a day care center or home care
- Grocery prices, detailed for 29 staple items in six categories
- Difference in cost of Utilities, including electric, gas and fuel oil
- Health Care Premiums and hospital expenses for major surgeries
- Taxes, Fees and Expenses you should know about, such as local car insurance rates, automobile taxes and registration, commuting costs.
- and 100s of other items you should consider before you relocate
Upgrade to Premium |
See Example
View More Data >
Reviews for Iowa City 
24 Reviews
I was there 5 years. Nothing to do but we’ll go shopping... at Walmart. It lacks so many things. There is no experience here, it jumps on any political band wagon and More
Entertainment lacks greatly - especially the Hancher shows. I was hoping after they rebuilt they would be getting better shows there, that didn't happen. One has to More
Iowa City is great. It's diverse and never boring. There always a variety of new shops and restaurants to explore and try out. Also watching college kids do stupid More
Start Your Review of Iowa City
Hello, I am in San Jose Ca, but am seriously thinking of moving somewhere much slower for a better quality of living. I've just turned 59, so I'm kinda preparing for More
Like every other city Ames has both good and bad points. The good points are: low cost of living, very friendly people, lots of outdoor activities and quite a few events More
Ames enjoys a high quality of life at a very affordable cost, substantially lower than many other communities. The presence of Iowa State University, a large (28,000 More
Start Your Review of Ames
Most Recent Searches On Compare Cities
| Compare City | Compared To This City | |
| Sawgrass, Florida | Davidson, North Carolina | Compare |
| Riviera Beach, Florida | Peabody, Massachusetts | Compare |
| Laredo, Texas | San Marcos, Texas | Compare |
| Boise City, Idaho | Tampa, Florida | Compare |
| Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Baltimore, Maryland | Compare |
| Parker, Colorado | Aurora, Colorado | Compare |
| Vancouver, Washington | Webster, Texas | Compare |
| Lansing, Michigan | Shaker Heights, Ohio | Compare |
| Albany, Oregon | Seattle, Washington | Compare |
| Laurel, Maryland | Pasadena, California | Compare |
| Marina, California | Scottsdale, Arizona | Compare |
| Sterling, Colorado | Shelbyville, Tennessee | Compare |
| Chicago, Illinois | Carpinteria, California | Compare |
| Cowan, Tennessee | Clarksville, Tennessee | Compare |
| Fernley, Nevada | Bella Vista, Arkansas | Compare |
| Bakersfield, California | Cayce, South Carolina | Compare |
| Vancouver, Washington | Webster, Texas | Compare |
| Laurel, Maryland | Pasadena, California | Compare |
| Marina, California | Scottsdale, Arizona | Compare |
| Chicago, Illinois | Carpinteria, California | Compare |