Davenport, IA vs South Bend, IN: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

South Bend, IN has a modeled overall cost index 5.8% lower than Davenport, IA.

Davenport, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,160 / month
South Bend, IN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,240 / 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 Davenport, IA and South Bend, IN 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 Davenport, IA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $299/month in South Bend, IN

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $146,412 in South Bend, IN

Regional cost estimates: Davenport, IA uses Madison, WI. South Bend, IN uses Fort Wayne, IN. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 5.8%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$299

Savings

Annual Impact

$3.6K

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.

Davenport, IA

Population:100K

Cost Index:

93.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$169K

South Bend, IN

Population:103K

Cost Index:

87.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$166K

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Davenport, IA

The Hawkeye State

100K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 100K residents.

South Bend, IN

The Hoosier State

103K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Indiana, this city has a population of 103K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Davenport, IA vs South Bend, IN

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	Davenport, IA	South Bend, IN	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,325/mo	$2,032/mo	↓ $293less	12.6%
Healthcare	$716/mo	$633/mo	↓ $82.72less	11.6%
Groceries	$955/mo	$999/mo	↑ $43.85more	4.6%
All Utilities	$506/mo	$546/mo	↑ $40.30more	8.0%
Other	$1,680/mo	$1,664/mo	↓ $15.55less	0.9%
Transportation	$1,319/mo	$1,327/mo	↑ $8.03more	0.6%

Housing

↓ 12.6%

Davenport, IA

$2,325

South Bend, IN

$2,032

Difference

$293

less

Healthcare

↓ 11.6%

Davenport, IA

$716

South Bend, IN

$633

Difference

$82.72

less

Groceries

↑ 4.6%

Davenport, IA

$955

South Bend, IN

$999

Difference

$43.85

All Utilities

↑ 8.0%

Davenport, IA

$506

South Bend, IN

$546

Difference

$40.30

Other

↓ 0.9%

Davenport, IA

$1,680

South Bend, IN

$1,664

Difference

$15.55

less

Transportation

↑ 0.6%

Davenport, IA

$1,319

South Bend, IN

$1,327

Difference

$8.03

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

South Bend, IN: St. Joseph County Income Tax$2,625/yr (1.8%)

Davenport, IA has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$830

To$860

↑ $30.00

1 Bed

From$940

To$1,060

↑ $120

2 Bed

From$1,160

To$1,240

↑ $80.00

3 Bed

From$1,520

To$1,505

↓ $15.00

Davenport, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $900–$980/mo

South Bend, INZIP-level data

1BR range: $910–$1,520/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 Davenport, IA

$7,201

Monthly in South Bend, IN

$299

Difference

Home Values

Davenport

South Bend

$169K

Median Value

$166K

↑ +2.3%

YoY Change

↑ +3.6%

↑ +23.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +52.8%

$102K - $342K

Price Range

$102K - $297K

Homes in South Bend are 2% less expensive than Davenport

Calculate payment - Davenport Calculate payment - South Bend

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $5.9K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$488

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

3.9%

Rate difference

Davenport, 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

South Bend, IN

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Indiana State Tax

Effective: 3.2%

$4.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.9%

$41.9K

Take-Home Pay

$9,012/month

$108.1K

Additional Tax Information

Davenport, IA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%

Property Tax:1.5%

South Bend, IN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

💡 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

Davenport

South Bend

42 Good

Air Quality

45 Good

72.1%

Good Air Days

62.6%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

91 Moderate

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

17 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

17 days

Before moving from Davenport, IA to South Bend, IN

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in South Bend, IN for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Davenport, IA. 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 Davenport to South Bend moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to South Bend, IN by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Davenport, IA vs South Bend, IN

How do the cost estimates for Davenport, IA and South Bend, IN compare?

South Bend, IN has a modeled overall cost index 5.8% lower than Davenport, IA. 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 Davenport, IA, the model estimates $146,412 in South Bend, IN. 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 Davenport, IA and South Bend, IN?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,160/month in Davenport, IA and $1,240/month in South Bend, IN. 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 Iowa and Indiana on TaxTakeHome.com