Cedar Grove, WI vs Van Meter, IA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Van Meter, IA has a modeled overall cost index 0.1% lower than Cedar Grove, WI.

Cedar Grove, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,210 / month
Van Meter, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,100 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Cedar Grove, WI and Van Meter, IA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Cedar Grove, WI

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $103/month in Van Meter, IA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $148,766 in Van Meter, IA

Regional cost estimates: Cedar Grove, WI uses Milwaukee, WI. Van Meter, IA uses Des Moines, IA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 0.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$103

Savings

Annual Impact

$1.2K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Cedar Grove, WI

Population:2K

Cost Index:

80.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$373K

Van Meter, IA

Population:2K

Cost Index:

80.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$399K

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Cedar Grove, WI

The Badger State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Van Meter, IA

The Hawkeye State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Cedar Grove, WI vs Van Meter, IA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Cedar Grove, WI	Van Meter, IA	Difference	Change
Housing	$1,837/mo	$2,006/mo	↑ $169more	9.2%
Transportation	$1,493/mo	$1,333/mo	↓ $160less	10.7%
Groceries	$1,081/mo	$1,030/mo	↓ $51.06less	4.7%
All Utilities	$573/mo	$532/mo	↓ $40.40less	7.1%
Healthcare	$810/mo	$772/mo	↓ $37.96less	4.7%
Other	$1,705/mo	$1,723/mo	↑ $17.57more	1.0%

Housing

↑ 9.2%

Cedar Grove, WI

$1,837

Van Meter, IA

$2,006

Difference

$169

Transportation

↓ 10.7%

Cedar Grove, WI

$1,493

Van Meter, IA

$1,333

Difference

$160

less

Groceries

↓ 4.7%

Cedar Grove, WI

$1,081

Van Meter, IA

$1,030

Difference

$51.06

less

All Utilities

↓ 7.1%

Cedar Grove, WI

$573

Van Meter, IA

$532

Difference

$40.40

less

Healthcare

↓ 4.7%

Cedar Grove, WI

$810

Van Meter, IA

$772

Difference

$37.96

less

Other

↑ 1.0%

Cedar Grove, WI

$1,705

Van Meter, IA

$1,723

Difference

$17.57

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$850

To$890

↑ $40.00

1 Bed

From$970

To$930

↓ $40.00

2 Bed

From$1,210

To$1,100

↓ $110

3 Bed

From$1,460

To$1,500

↑ $40.00

Cedar Grove, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $970–$970/mo

Van Meter, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $930–$930/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Cedar Grove, WI

$7,397

Monthly in Van Meter, IA

$103

Difference

Home Values

Cedar Grove

Van Meter

$373K

Median Value

$399K

↑ +8%

YoY Change

↑ +1.3%

↑ +42.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +35.8%

Homes in Van Meter are 7% more expensive than Cedar Grove

Calculate payment - Cedar Grove Calculate payment - Van Meter

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $1.9K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$154

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.2%

Rate difference

Cedar Grove, WI

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Wisconsin State Tax

Effective: 5.9%

$8.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.6%

$45.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,678/month

$104.1K

Van Meter, IA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Iowa State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.7K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.7K

Take-Home Pay

$8,524/month

$102.3K

Additional Tax Information

Cedar Grove, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

Van Meter, IA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%

Property Tax:1.5%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Cedar Grove

Van Meter

43 Good

Air Quality

45 Good

68.6%

Good Air Days

67.5%

98 High

Climate Risk

92 Moderate

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌡☀🌪

▲+3.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

13 days

Heat Days >95°F

25 days

▲+3.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

13 days

Heat Days >95°F

25 days

Before moving from Cedar Grove, WI to Van Meter, IA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Van Meter, IA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Cedar Grove, WI. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Cedar Grove to Van Meter moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Van Meter, IA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Cedar Grove, WI vs Van Meter, IA

How do the cost estimates for Cedar Grove, WI and Van Meter, IA compare?

Van Meter, IA has a modeled overall cost index 0.1% lower than Cedar Grove, WI. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Cedar Grove, WI, the model estimates $148,766 in Van Meter, IA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Cedar Grove, WI and Van Meter, IA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,210/month in Cedar Grove, WI and $1,100/month in Van Meter, IA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Wisconsin and Iowa on TaxTakeHome.com

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