Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Toledo, OH Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Toledo, OH

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,352 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,840 in Toledo, OH.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,249 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,889 in Toledo, OH.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,146 in Iowa City, IA versus $3,939 in Toledo, OH.

Living in Iowa City, IA is roughly 28% more expensive than Toledo, OH, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iowa City, IA 76% above, Toledo, OH 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 $14.95

$19.65 $19.65

-23.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 $76.5

$65.0 $65.0

17.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 $9.16

$10.07 $10.07

-9.04%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$4.34 $4.34

18.20%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$2.33 $2.33

5.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.29 $1.29

42.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$4.86 $4.86

1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$4.96 $4.96

38.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.80 $0.80

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.87 $2.87

-4.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.97 $3.97

24.94%

Eggs

$3.93 $3.93

$2.63 $2.63

49.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 $9.29

$12.26 $12.26

-24.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 $10.50

$11.74 $11.74

-10.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 $16.28

$15.00 $15.00

8.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.95 $3.95

-17.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.78 $1.78

-32.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.39 $3.39

-17.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$3.73 $3.73

24.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.25 $2.25

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.02 $2.02

39.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.46 $2.46

-19.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.21 $2.21

-8.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.18 $9.18

$10.08 $10.08

-8.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.80 $15.80

$13.24 $13.24

19.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.93 $1.93

-8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 $4.81

$3.21 $3.21

49.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.22 $1.22

62.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.14 $16.14

$58.4 $58.4

-72.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.54 $2.54

78.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.46 $2.46

-12.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$39.93 $39.93

3.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$28.8K $28.8K

-11.61%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.5K $25.5K

1.84%

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

$221 $221

$198 $198

11.79%

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

$49.98 $49.98

$49.91 $49.91

0.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 $74.0

$74.4 $74.4

-0.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.34 $49.34

$30.63 $30.63

61.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 $20.02

$20.17 $20.17

-0.74%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$11.02 $11.02

9.89%

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

$1,262 $1,262

$1,466 $1,466

-13.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$14.4K $14.4K

69.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$43.99 $43.99

53.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.50 $40.50

18.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$69.1 $69.1

46.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$64.8 $64.8

77.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 $1,236

$853 $853

44.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 $1,087

$653 $653

66.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 $2,380

$1,468 $1,468

62.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 $1,530

$1,304 $1,304

17.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,800 $3,800

$1,543 $1,543

146.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,920 $1,920

$1,576 $1,576

21.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,641 $3,641

$3,294 $3,294

10.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.51

-1.23%

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 Toledo, OH: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,236 in Iowa City, IA and $853 in Toledo, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $76.0 in Iowa City, IA vs $65.0 in Toledo, OH. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $356, with Iowa City, IA cheaper for home cooking.

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 Toledo, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toledo, OH is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iowa City, IA pays 11% 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 $853 in Toledo, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Toledo, OH runs roughly 262% less than in Iowa City, IA. 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 $1,466 in Toledo, OH. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,840 in Toledo, OH versus $2,352 in Iowa City, IA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Toledo, OH but tight or insufficient in Iowa City, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Toledo, OH 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 Toledo, OH 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 Toledo, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Iowa City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.