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 | St. Charles | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,077/mo | $1,115/mo | 3.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $256,600 | $259,700 | 1.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $54,879 | $83,589 | 34.3% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 94.5 | 98.9 | 4.4% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 86.1 | 76.5 | 12.6% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 94.1 | 98.1 | 4.1% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 98.8 | 4.0% 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 $100,067 in St. Charles to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Iowa City and St. Charles have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. Housing costs are roughly 3% lower in St. Charles than in Iowa City. If you earn $80,000 in Iowa City, you'd need about $80,054 in St. Charles to keep the same standard of living.