Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Kissimmee, FL Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Kissimmee, FL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,352 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,458 in Kissimmee, FL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,249 in Iowa City, IA versus $3,820 in Kissimmee, FL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,146 in Iowa City, IA versus $5,182 in Kissimmee, FL.

Living in Iowa City, IA costs roughly 4% less than in Kissimmee, FL, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iowa City, IA 76% above, Kissimmee, FL 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 $14.95

$19.78 $19.78

-24.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 $76.5

$75.3 $75.3

1.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 $9.16

$9.97 $9.97

-8.12%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$5.08 $5.08

0.98%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$2.18 $2.18

12.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.82 $1.82

1.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$4.71 $4.71

5.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$6.14 $6.14

11.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.05 $1.05

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.10 $3.10

-11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.69 $2.69

84.39%

Eggs

$3.93 $3.93

$4.42 $4.42

-11.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 $9.29

$10.28 $10.28

-9.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 $10.50

$9.20 $9.20

14.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 $16.28

$12.27 $12.27

32.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$5.69 $5.69

-42.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.82 $1.82

-33.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.47 $4.47

-37.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$3.28 $3.28

42.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.42 $2.42

-14.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.57 $2.57

9.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.46 $1.46

36.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.68 $1.68

20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.18 $9.18

$8.42 $8.42

9.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.80 $15.80

$8.07 $8.07

95.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.13 $2.13

-17.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.76 $2.76

74.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.14 $16.14

$50.2 $50.2

-67.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.07 $3.07

47.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.60 $1.60

34.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$24.60 $24.60

67.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.87 $0.87

-1.15%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.1K $25.1K

1.42%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.0K $25.0K

3.58%

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

$221 $221

$124 $124

78.50%

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

$49.98 $49.98

$48.95 $48.95

2.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 $74.0

$82.3 $82.3

-10.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.34 $49.34

$29.15 $29.15

69.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 $20.02

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$11.86 $11.86

2.11%

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

$1,262 $1,262

$613 $613

105.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$23.6K $23.6K

3.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$48.72 $48.72

38.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.90 $47.90

$29.13 $29.13

64.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$81.7 $81.7

23.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$87.4 $87.4

31.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 $1,236

$1,657 $1,657

-25.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 $1,087

$1,374 $1,374

-20.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 $2,380

$2,559 $2,559

-7.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 $1,530

$2,594 $2,594

-41.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,800 $3,800

$2,501 $2,501

51.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,920 $1,920

$2,468 $2,468

-22.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,641 $3,641

$2,761 $2,761

31.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.53

-1.53%

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

Last update for Iowa City, IA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kissimmee, FL: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,236 in Iowa City, IA and $1,657 in Kissimmee, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Iowa City, IA vs $75.0 in Kissimmee, FL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $328 per month, with Kissimmee, FL cheaper across the board.

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

Iowa City, IA vs Kissimmee, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iowa City, IA is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iowa City, IA pays 32% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,236 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,657 in Kissimmee, FL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Iowa City, IA runs roughly 211% less than in Kissimmee, FL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,262 in Iowa City, IA versus $613 in Kissimmee, FL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,352 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,458 in Kissimmee, FL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Iowa City, IA but tight or insufficient in Kissimmee, FL. The gap between the two cities makes Iowa City, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Iowa City, IA and Kissimmee, FL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Iowa City, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Kissimmee, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.