Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Iowa City, IA: $2,251 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Iowa City, IA
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Iowa City, IA Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Iowa City, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,251

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iowa City, IA and in Seattle, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Iowa City, IA and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,251 in Iowa City, IA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Iowa City, IA $2,251
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,264 in Iowa City, IA versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Iowa City, IA $3,264
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,276 in Iowa City, IA versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Iowa City, IA $4,276
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Iowa City, IA costs roughly 41% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iowa City, IA 65% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 $15.12

$25.30 $25.30

-40.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 $67.3

$101 $101

-33.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 $9.03

$14.76 $14.76

-38.82%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$6.50 $6.50

-14.77%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$3.21 $3.21

-13.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.14 $3.14

-28.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$7.97 $7.97

-39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$8.13 $8.13

-12.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.17 $1.17

-21.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 $2.79

$5.30 $5.30

-47.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$6.40 $6.40

-68.44%

Eggs

$3.71 $3.71

$5.06 $5.06

-26.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.43 $9.43

$18.71 $18.71

-49.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 $10.64

$18.72 $18.72

-43.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.95 $19.95

$22.88 $22.88

-12.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$6.06 $6.06

-44.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.95 $1.95

-37.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$5.51 $5.51

-51.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$6.52 $6.52

-25.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.49 $3.49

-43.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.29 $3.29

-28.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.80 $2.80

-38.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.58 $2.58

-7.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 $10.13

$12.49 $12.49

-18.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 $13.70

$14.87 $14.87

-7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$4.19 $4.19

-58.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 $4.54

$5.80 $5.80

-21.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.58 $2.58

51.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.64 $1.64

20.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.67 $43.67

$30.12 $30.12

44.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.41 $1.41

-29.79%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$36.8K $36.8K

-26.14%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

-3.05%

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

$271 $271

$308 $308

-11.76%

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

$51.5 $51.5

$69.2 $69.2

-25.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.6 $81.6

$86.1 $86.1

-5.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.80 $29.80

$76.5 $76.5

-61.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.65 $19.65

$35.50 $35.50

-44.65%

Cinema Ticket

$13.86 $13.86

$18.02 $18.02

-23.09%

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

$1,292 $1,292

$2,746 $2,746

-52.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$30.6K $30.6K

-22.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 $64.4

$79.2 $79.2

-18.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.68 $49.68

$54.3 $54.3

-8.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 $98.6

$127 $127

-22.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$159 $159

-27.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 $1,242

$2,508 $2,508

-50.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 $1,003

$1,938 $1,938

-48.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 $1,933

$5,117 $5,117

-62.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 $1,637

$3,542 $3,542

-53.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,514 $3,514

$7,374 $7,374

-52.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,811 $1,811

$5,002 $5,002

-63.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,822 $3,822

$6,470 $6,470

-40.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.89

-6.39%

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

Last update for Iowa City, IA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Iowa City, IA

$1K 44.6%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 93.3% $936

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Iowa City, IA

$404 18%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 14.4% $58

Groceries & Markets

Iowa City, IA

$352 15.6%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 55.6% $195

Eating Out

Iowa City, IA

$273 12.1%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 48.7% $133

Clothing & Footwear

Iowa City, IA

$147 6.6%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 28% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Iowa City, IA

$58 2.6%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 95.5% $55

Getting Around

Iowa City, IA

$14 * 0.6%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 837% $115

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,242 in Iowa City, IA and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 69% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $67 in Iowa City, IA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $547 per month, with Iowa City, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Iowa City, IA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

14:55 2:55 PM

12:55 12:55 PM

2 h behind Iowa City, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,828

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Iowa City, IA Seattle, WA 2,510 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Iowa City, IA
Seattle, WA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iowa City, IA is about 41% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Iowa City, IA. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,242 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,292 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,746 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Iowa City, IA – a meal for two runs $67 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,251 in Iowa City, IA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Iowa City, IA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. 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.

It comes down to priorities – Iowa City, IA wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.