2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Iowa City, IA vs Alameda, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Alameda or is it cheaper to live in Iowa City?
- Alameda is 118.2% more expensive than Iowa City.

Which city has more affordable housing, Alameda or Iowa City?
- Alameda housing costs are 439.1% more expensive than Iowa City housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Iowa City or is Health Care more affordable in Alameda.
- Health related expenses are 12.3% more in Alameda.
 Iowa City, IAAlameda, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock195.5100
 Food & Groceries99.7  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock116.8100
 Housing78.7  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$1,179,600$338,100
 Utilities94  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock125.4100
 Miscellaneous117.6  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Iowa City    24 Reviews

Over 5 years ago

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

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Over 5 years ago

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

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Over 7 years ago

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

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Reviews for Alameda    6 Reviews

Over 7 years ago

Having been born here & 70 now I have watched firsthand, a small, quiet town ruined by excessive building, overcrowding and far too many restaurants for a city this  More

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Enjoy the immense benefit to having a close-knit community with main-street USA feel less than 10 miles from the resources of several urban and education  More

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Alameda, CA is a unique town here in the Bay Area. Perhaps because it is an island, or perhaps because for many decades it was a U.S. Army base, the city has never  More

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