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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in London is roughly 5% more expensive than Iowa City, IA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 CA$25.65

$14.72 $14.72

27.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$101

$75.6 $75.6

-2.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 CA$13.98

$8.85 $8.85

15.37%

Cappuccino

$3.42 CA$4.69

$5.06 $5.06

-32.41%

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

$1.99 CA$2.72

$2.39 $2.39

-16.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.68

$1.79 $1.79

8.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 CA$8.05

$5.07 $5.07

15.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.84

$7.13 $7.13

-9.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 CA$2.33

$0.87 $0.87

95.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 CA$3.19

$2.66 $2.66

-12.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.63

$4.80 $4.80

-29.58%

Eggs

$3.30 CA$4.52

$4.01 $4.01

-17.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 CA$13.70

$9.07 $9.07

10.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.48 CA$17.10

$10.55 $10.55

18.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.14 CA$12.52

$16.60 $16.60

-44.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.03

$3.42 $3.42

28.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.88

$1.16 $1.16

18.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.06

$2.71 $2.71

36.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.07

$4.76 $4.76

-22.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.20

$2.03 $2.03

-21.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.91

$2.91 $2.91

-26.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$1.99 $1.99

9.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$1.96

$1.99 $1.99

-28.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.42 CA$17.02

$9.17 $9.17

35.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.02 CA$17.84

$15.47 $15.47

-15.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 CA$2.84

$1.69 $1.69

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.55

$4.85 $4.85

-46.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.34

$2.05 $2.05

19.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.1 CA$112

$16.17 $16.17

407.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 CA$5.64

$4.41 $4.41

-6.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$2.11 $2.11

-18.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.74 CA$43.48

$42.23 $42.23

-24.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.57

$0.86 $0.86

33.72%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$25.3K $25.3K

-0.69%

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

$20.5K CA$28.1K

$25.1K $25.1K

-18.17%

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

$144 CA$197

$214 $214

-32.72%

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

$46.71 CA$64.0

$50.4 $50.4

-7.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CA$80.5

$75.8 $75.8

-22.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.50 CA$58.2

$50.1 $50.1

-15.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 CA$10.18

$20.21 $20.21

-63.24%

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 CA$14.81

$12.22 $12.22

-11.54%

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

$561 CA$769

$1,243 $1,243

-54.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K CA$19.9K

$25.1K $25.1K

-42.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 CA$76.4

$66.9 $66.9

-16.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.17 CA$64.6

$47.76 $47.76

-1.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$118

$99.3 $99.3

-13.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 CA$111

$117 $117

-30.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 CA$2,000

$1,210 $1,210

20.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 CA$1,736

$1,093 $1,093

15.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,636 CA$3,612

$2,426 $2,426

8.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 CA$2,710

$1,538 $1,538

28.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,575 CA$4,898

$3,818 $3,818

-6.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,752 CA$5,140

$1,907 $1,907

96.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,022 CA$4,140

$3,581 $3,581

-15.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

6.43

-3.42%

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

Last update for London: April 14, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,460 in London and $1,210 in Iowa City, IA. 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: $74 in London vs $76 in Iowa City, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $352 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

London vs Iowa City, IA: 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.

On paper, Iowa City, IA earns 18% less. 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: $1,460 in London versus $1,210 in Iowa City, IA. 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 $561 in London versus $1,243 in Iowa City, IA. 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, London and Iowa City, IA 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.