Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Aberdeen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Aberdeen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,154 per month in Ames, IA vs $2,322 in Aberdeen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,214 per month in Ames, IA vs $3,718 in Aberdeen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,273 per month in Ames, IA vs $5,114 in Aberdeen, rent included.

Ames, IA is about 7% cheaper than Aberdeen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ames, IA and Aberdeen sit above the global median – Ames, IA by 57%, Aberdeen by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 $18.20

$20.56 £15.25

-11.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.1 $52.1

$97.1 £72.0

-46.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$11.04 £8.19

9.33%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$4.78 £3.55

6.07%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.72 £2.02

-2.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.96 £1.45

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 $4.10

$6.68 £4.95

-38.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$6.93 £5.14

1.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.57 £1.16

-42.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 $3.67

$1.86 £1.38

97.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.96 £1.46

71.43%

Eggs

$3.34 $3.34

$4.66 £3.46

-28.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$8.63 £6.40

17.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.39 $14.39

$12.81 £9.50

12.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.47 $18.47

$17.06 £12.65

8.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$2.92 £2.17

101.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.43 £1.06

27.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$2.81 £2.08

129.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$3.93 £2.91

27.74%

Potato (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.76 £1.31

146.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.54 £1.14

146.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.24 £0.92

88.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.71 £1.27

49.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.14 $13.14

$21.03 £15.59

-37.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.85 $15.85

$11.32 £8.40

40.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.75 £2.04

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.15 £2.34

60.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.89 £2.14

-65.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.29 $35.29

$124 £91.9

-71.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 $5.03

$4.02 £2.98

25.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.42 £1.80

-30.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.03 $24.03

$24.68 £18.30

-2.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.06 £1.53

-55.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.3K $25.3K

$39.6K £29.4K

-36.15%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.1K $25.1K

$41.9K £31.1K

-40.24%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$160 $160

$415 £308

-61.39%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$54.9 $54.9

$29.61 £21.96

85.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$43.76 £32.46

56.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 $68.9

$58.4 £43.31

18.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.76 $19.76

$22.48 £16.67

-12.10%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 $15.77

$11.84 £8.78

33.19%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,376 $1,376

$1,796 £1,332

-23.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K $36.0K

$23.8K £17.6K

51.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 $58.7

$98.4 £73.0

-40.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 $44.80

$50.3 £37.33

-10.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$106 £78.9

-15.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$118 £87.5

-10.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 $1,032

$867 £643

19.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$823 $823

$798 £592

3.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 $1,806

$1,578 £1,170

14.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 $1,513

$1,743 £1,293

-13.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,403 $2,403

$2,369 £1,757

1.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,224 $2,224

$3,483 £2,584

-36.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,636 $3,636

$3,612 £2,679

0.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.02

5.11

17.81%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ames, IA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Aberdeen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,032 in Ames, IA versus $867 in Aberdeen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Ames, IA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Ames, IA versus $97.0 in Aberdeen. Groceries tell a different story – $438 in Ames, IA vs $332 in Aberdeen – so Aberdeen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ames, IA vs Aberdeen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aberdeen costs about 8% more than Ames, IA, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,231 per month in Ames, IA and $3,483 in Aberdeen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ames, IA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,154 in Ames, IA and $2,322 in Aberdeen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 251% less in Ames, IA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ames, IA, where all-in costs run around $2,154, than in Aberdeen at $2,322. In Ames, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aberdeen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ames, IA costs $2,154 versus $2,322 in Aberdeen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ames, IA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aberdeen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.