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 | Iowa City | Los Angeles | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,077/mo | $1,791/mo | 39.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $256,600 | $822,600 | 68.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $54,879 | $76,244 | 28.0% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 94.5 | 105.8 | 10.7% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 86.1 | 135.7 | 36.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 94.1 | 103.2 | 8.8% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 104.2 | 9.1% lower 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 Iowa City, you'd need $147,046 in Los Angeles to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Iowa City, IA is about 32% cheaper overall than Los Angeles, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 48% lower in Iowa City than in Los Angeles. If you earn $80,000 in Iowa City, you'd need about $117,637 in Los Angeles to keep the same standard of living.