City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Austin | Iowa City | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $1,077/mo | 43.8% higher in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $256,600 | 79.9% higher in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $54,879 | 57.7% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 95.2 | 94.5 | 0.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 85.9 | 86.1 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 97.5 | 94.1 | 3.6% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 95.8 | 94.8 | 1.1% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Austin, you'd need $84,453 in Iowa City to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Iowa City, IA is about 15.5% cheaper overall than Austin, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 30% lower in Iowa City than in Austin. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $67,563 in Iowa City to keep the same standard of living.