Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,465 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,313 in Iowa City, IA versus $3,548 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,282 in Iowa City, IA versus $4,631 in London.

Living in Iowa City, IA costs roughly 5% less than in London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iowa City, IA 74% above, London 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.72 $14.72

$18.73 CA$25.65

-21.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.6 $75.6

$73.8 CA$101

2.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 $8.85

$10.21 CA$13.98

-13.32%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$3.42 CA$4.69

47.95%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$1.99 CA$2.72

20.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.95 CA$2.68

-8.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$5.87 CA$8.05

-13.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$6.45 CA$8.84

10.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.70 CA$2.33

-48.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.33 CA$3.19

14.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$3.38 CA$4.63

42.01%

Eggs

$4.01 $4.01

$3.30 CA$4.52

21.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 $9.07

$10.00 CA$13.70

-9.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 $10.55

$12.48 CA$17.10

-15.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$9.14 CA$12.52

81.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$4.40 CA$6.03

-22.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.37 CA$1.88

-15.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.69 CA$5.06

-26.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$3.70 CA$5.07

28.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.60 CA$2.20

26.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.13 CA$2.91

36.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.17 CA$2.97

-8.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.43 CA$1.96

39.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.17 $9.17

$12.42 CA$17.02

-26.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.47 $15.47

$13.02 CA$17.84

18.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.08 CA$2.84

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.59 CA$3.55

87.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.44 CA$3.34

-15.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.17 $16.17

$82.1 CA$112

-80.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.12 CA$5.64

7.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.71 CA$2.34

23.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.23 $42.23

$31.74 CA$43.48

33.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.15 CA$1.57

-25.22%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

0.69%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$20.5K CA$28.1K

22.20%

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

$214 $214

$144 CA$197

48.64%

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

$50.4 $50.4

$46.71 CA$64.0

7.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$58.7 CA$80.5

29.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 $50.1

$42.50 CA$58.2

17.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 $20.21

$7.43 CA$10.18

172.01%

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$10.81 CA$14.81

13.04%

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

$1,243 $1,243

$561 CA$769

121.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K $25.1K

$14.5K CA$19.9K

72.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 $66.9

$55.8 CA$76.4

19.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.76 $47.76

$47.17 CA$64.6

1.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 $99.3

$86.3 CA$118

14.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$81.1 CA$111

44.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 $1,210

$1,460 CA$2,000

-17.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 $1,093

$1,267 CA$1,736

-13.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,426 $2,426

$2,636 CA$3,612

-7.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 $1,538

$1,978 CA$2,710

-22.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,818 $3,818

$3,575 CA$4,898

6.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,907 $1,907

$3,752 CA$5,140

-49.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 $3,581

$3,022 CA$4,140

18.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.21

3.54%

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

Last update for Iowa City, IA: April 12, 2026

Last update for London: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,210 in Iowa City, IA and $1,460 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76 in Iowa City, IA vs $74 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $327 per month, with London 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 London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iowa City, IA is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iowa City, IA pays 18% 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: $1,210 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,460 in London. 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 407% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,243 in Iowa City, IA versus $561 in London. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,344 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,465 in London, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Iowa City, IA but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Iowa City, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Iowa City, IA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in London, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Iowa City, IA and London 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 5% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.