Houston, TX vs Iowa City, IA Cost of Living
Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024
Iowa City is moderately cheaper than Houston — 7.2% lower overall cost of living.
To match an $80,000 salary in Houston, you would need $74,200 in Iowa City. Calculate your salary ↓
Category Breakdown
Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.
Salary Equivalency Calculator
Enter your current salary in Houston to see what you'd need to earn in Iowa City to maintain the same purchasing power.
Formula: salary × (91.5 ÷ 98.6) = salary × 0.9280. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.
Housing Market
Houston, TX
- Median Home Price
- $302,000
- Median Monthly Rent
- $1,600
- Housing Index
- 104.5
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 15.7×
Iowa City, IA
- Median Home Price
- $287,000
- Median Monthly Rent
- $1,300
- Housing Index
- 84
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 18.4×
Houston has 19.6% lower housing costs compared to Iowa City.
Income & Job Market
Houston, TX
- Median Household Income
- $79,500
- Per Capita Income
- $45,300
- Unemployment Rate
- 5.2%
- Population
- 2,304,580
Iowa City, IA
- Median Household Income
- $71,900
- Per Capita Income
- $41,000
- Unemployment Rate
- 2.3%
- Population
- 74,398
Affordability at a Glance
Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).
76% of income left after rent (median)
78% of income left after rent (median)
Related Comparisons
Houston vs other cities
Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.
Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.
This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.