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 | Phoenix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,077/mo | $1,322/mo | 18.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $256,600 | $340,200 | 24.6% lower in A |
| Median household income | $54,879 | $72,092 | 23.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 94.5 | 97.7 | 3.3% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 86.1 | 102.9 | 16.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 94.1 | 104.2 | 9.7% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 104.0 | 8.9% 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 $120,904 in Phoenix to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Iowa City, IA is about 17.3% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 27% lower in Iowa City than in Phoenix. If you earn $80,000 in Iowa City, you'd need about $96,723 in Phoenix to keep the same standard of living.