Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sioux City, IA and Columbia, SC

For one person, living costs are similar in Sioux City, IA and in Columbia, SC: $2,168 and $2,222 a month, rent and utilities included.

106

Cost of Living Index in Sioux City, IA
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Sioux City, IA Living Index
108

Cost of Living Index in Columbia, SC
Learn more

Columbia, SC Living Index

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Sioux City, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,168

/mo nomad

Columbia, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,222

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sioux City, IA and in Columbia, SC

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,168 in Sioux City, IA versus $2,222 in Columbia, SC.

Sioux City, IA $2,168
Columbia, SC $2,222

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Sioux City, IA versus $3,421 in Columbia, SC.

Sioux City, IA $3,305
Columbia, SC $3,421

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,442 in Sioux City, IA versus $4,621 in Columbia, SC.

Sioux City, IA $4,442
Columbia, SC $4,621

Living in Sioux City, IA costs roughly 2% less than in Columbia, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sioux City, IA 61% above, Columbia, SC 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.33 $20.33

$20.14 $20.14

0.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 $56.0

$59.6 $59.6

-6.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 $10.65

$11.82 $11.82

-9.90%

Cappuccino

$6.14 $6.14

$5.38 $5.38

14.13%

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

$2.11 $2.11

$2.69 $2.69

-21.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.19 $2.19

-19.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$5.59 $5.59

-9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 $5.61

$6.43 $6.43

-12.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.79 $0.79

10.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.58 $2.58

13.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$4.78 $4.78

-29.29%

Eggs

$3.60 $3.60

$4.05 $4.05

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 $7.92

$10.38 $10.38

-23.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.58 $7.58

$11.42 $11.42

-33.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 $16.77

$16.28 $16.28

3.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$5.28 $5.28

-10.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.64 $1.64

-7.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$6.63 $6.63

-39.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$5.88 $5.88

-32.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.20 $3.20

-37.81%

Onion (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$4.22 $4.22

15.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.01 $2.01

18.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.72 $1.72

23.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.94 $8.94

$8.48 $8.48

5.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.12 $15.12

$16.20 $16.20

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.88 $1.88

-9.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.75 $2.75

12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.06 $2.06

-14.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 $47.88

$39.69 $39.69

20.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.99 $1.99

-1.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.51 $1.51

-20.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.61 $19.61

$18.24 $18.24

7.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$35.2K $35.2K

0.64%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$25.1K $25.1K

-0.25%

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

$167 $167

$279 $279

-40.23%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$59.1 $59.1

-11.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$63.2 $63.2

9.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 $98.8

$36.80 $36.80

168.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.08 $20.08

$17.86 $17.86

12.43%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$15.30 $15.30

-1.63%

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

$1,098 $1,098

$1,128 $1,128

-2.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$22.2K $22.2K

-46.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.40 $43.40

$51.5 $51.5

-15.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.73 $21.73

$39.54 $39.54

-45.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 $77.2

$81.7 $81.7

-5.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 $89.3

$115 $115

-22.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$923 $923

$1,253 $1,253

-26.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$922 $922

$853 $853

8.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 $1,481

$2,127 $2,127

-30.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,743 $1,743

$1,747 $1,747

-0.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,546 $1,546

$2,153 $2,153

-28.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,546 $1,546

$1,636 $1,636

-5.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,592 $3,592

$3,287 $3,287

9.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.56

0.15%

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

Last update for Sioux City, IA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Columbia, SC: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sioux City, IA

$922 42.5%

Columbia, SC

$853 38.4% 7.5% $69

Groceries & Markets

Sioux City, IA

$342 15.8%

Columbia, SC

$392 17.7% 14.6% $50

Eating Out

Sioux City, IA

$320 14.8%

Columbia, SC

$321 14.5% 0.3% $1.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sioux City, IA

$288 13.3%

Columbia, SC

$401 18.1% 39.3% $113

Sport & Entertainment

Sioux City, IA

$129 5.9%

Columbia, SC

$67 3% 47.7% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Sioux City, IA

$104 4.8%

Columbia, SC

$129 5.8% 24.2% $25

Getting Around

Sioux City, IA

$63 2.9%

Columbia, SC

$57 2.6% 8.8% $5.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $923 in Sioux City, IA and $1,253 in Columbia, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sioux City, IA pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $56.0 in Sioux City, IA vs $60.0 in Columbia, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $392 per month, with Sioux City, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sioux City, IA

🇺🇸 Columbia, SC

🕒 Local time

10:23 10:23 AM

11:23 11:23 AM

1 h ahead of Sioux City, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

85,797

139,698

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sioux City, IA Columbia, SC 1,640 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Sioux City, IA
Columbia, SC

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

Sioux City, IA vs Columbia, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sioux City, IA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Sioux City, IA, 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: $923 in Sioux City, IA versus $1,253 in Columbia, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Columbia, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Sioux City, IA – a meal for two runs $56.0 versus $60.0 in Columbia, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,168 in Sioux City, IA versus $2,222 in Columbia, SC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sioux City, IA but tight or insufficient in Columbia, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Sioux City, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Sioux City, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Columbia, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.