2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Council Bluffs, IA vs Lakewood, WA

Change Cities
Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Lakewood or is it cheaper to live in Council Bluffs?
- Lakewood is 48.2% more expensive than Council Bluffs.

Which city has more affordable housing, Lakewood or Council Bluffs?
- Lakewood housing costs are 182.6% more expensive than Council Bluffs housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Council Bluffs or is Health Care more affordable in Lakewood.
- Health related expenses are 17.2% less in Lakewood.
 Council Bluffs, IALakewood, WAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock122.7100
 Food & Groceries95.4  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock88.3100
 Housing54.0  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$459,500$338,100
 Utilities91  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock118.9100
 Miscellaneous98.8  Unlock100
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

Reviews for Council Bluffs    4 Reviews

It's an okay city. Nothing special really. All the fun things to do and good restaurants are across the river in Omaha. I will say CB has some pretty good recreational  More

   |    Reply

Over 9 years ago

Quietly over the years this community has taken untold amounts of riverfront casino tax dollars and converted them into hundreds and hundreds of community improvement  More

   |    Reply

Over 15 years ago

here in council bluffs iowa, we have low crime rate. There have been an increase in shopping areas in the last 2 years and lots of new resturants and three casinos. It  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Council Bluffs

Reviews for Lakewood    7 Reviews

Historically, Lakewood has had a bad reputation for being a crime ridden city, but since its incorporation in 1996 it has seen a transformation. Many of its roads have  More

   |    Reply

Over 7 years ago

Lakewood is the worst city in the state. With a murder rate that has grown upwards of 20 people a year, to the home invasions that happen every day in the city, don’t  More

   |    Reply

Over 16 years ago

lakewood(chocolate city, lakeview, eastside,tillicum/woodbrook,lakecity) all crime drug and gang filled areas. very high murder rate for a suburb..and there are way too  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Lakewood


Premium Subscription
Includes Cost of Living compares for child care, utilities, transportation, health, taxes, housing for home owners vs renters, weather, insurance premiums and so much more.


The premier source for comprehensive city data for over 30 years.

© Best Places. All rights reserved.