Marion, IA vs Cape Girardeau, MO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Cape Girardeau, MO has a modeled overall cost index 1.8% lower than Marion, IA.

Marion, IA · modeled 2BR rent
$1,040 / month
Cape Girardeau, MO · modeled 2BR rent
$1,010 / 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 Marion, IA and Cape Girardeau, MO 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

$
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Estimated savings: $197/month in Cape Girardeau, MO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $147,633 in Cape Girardeau, MO

Regional cost estimates: Marion, IA uses Des Moines, IA. Cape Girardeau, MO uses St. Louis, MO. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↓ 1.8%
Less expensive
Monthly Impact
$197
Savings
Annual Impact
$2.4K
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.

Marion, IA

Population:42K
Cost Index:
86.9
100 = national average
Typical Home:$263K

Cape Girardeau, MO

Population:41K
Cost Index:
85.3
100 = national average
Typical Home:$235K

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Marion, IA

The Hawkeye State

42K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 42K residents.

Cape Girardeau, MO

The Show-Me State

41K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Missouri, this city has a population of 41K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Marion, IA vs Cape Girardeau, MO

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.

Housing
↓ 8.6%
Marion, IA
$2,058
Cape Girardeau, MO
$1,881
Difference
$177
less
Healthcare
↓ 22.1%
Marion, IA
$763
Cape Girardeau, MO
$594
Difference
$169
less
All Utilities
↑ 14.8%
Marion, IA
$526
Cape Girardeau, MO
$604
Difference
$78.01
more
Groceries
↑ 5.2%
Marion, IA
$1,018
Cape Girardeau, MO
$1,071
Difference
$52.92
more
Other
↑ 1.5%
Marion, IA
$1,768
Cape Girardeau, MO
$1,795
Difference
$27.30
more
Transportation
↓ 0.7%
Marion, IA
$1,367
Cape Girardeau, MO
$1,358
Difference
$9.40
less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$720
To$780
↑ $60.00
1 Bed
From$790
To$820
↑ $30.00
2 Bed
From$1,040
To$1,010
↓ $30.00
3 Bed
From$1,450
To$1,400
↓ $50.00
Marion, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $790–$790/mo

Cape Girardeau, MOZIP-level data

1BR range: $820–$820/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 Marion, IA
$7,303
Monthly in Cape Girardeau, MO
$197
Difference

Home Values

Marion
Cape Girardeau
$263K
Median Value
$235K
↑ +2.6%
YoY Change
↑ +4.3%
↑ +29.1%
5-Year Change
↑ +31.3%

Homes in Cape Girardeau are 11% less expensive than Marion

Calculate payment - MarionCalculate payment - Cape Girardeau

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↑ $2.8K
Per year
Monthly Difference
$231
More take-home
Effective Rate Diff
1.8%
Rate difference

Marion, 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

Cape Girardeau, MO

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Missouri State Tax
Effective: 5.3%
$7.9K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 30.0%
$44.9K
Take-Home Pay
$8,755/month
$105.1K

Additional Tax Information

Marion, IA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%
Property Tax:1.5%

Cape Girardeau, MO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%
Property Tax:1.0%

💡 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

Marion
Cape Girardeau
45 Good
Air Quality
54 Moderate
67.5%
Good Air Days
38%
92 Moderate
Climate Risk
99 High
🌡☀🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌡🫨
▲+3.4°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
25 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days
▲+3.4°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.0°F
25 days
Heat Days >95°F
39 days

Before moving from Marion, IA to Cape Girardeau, MO

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

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Cape Girardeau, MO for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Marion, IA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Marion to Cape Girardeau moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Cape Girardeau, MO by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Marion, IA vs Cape Girardeau, MO

How do the cost estimates for Marion, IA and Cape Girardeau, MO compare?

Cape Girardeau, MO has a modeled overall cost index 1.8% lower than Marion, 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 Marion, IA, the model estimates $147,633 in Cape Girardeau, MO. 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 Marion, IA and Cape Girardeau, MO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,040/month in Marion, IA and $1,010/month in Cape Girardeau, MO. 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 Missouri on TaxTakeHome.com

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