Portage, IN vs Urbandale, IA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Urbandale, IA has a modeled overall cost index 10.9% lower than Portage, IN.

Portage, IN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,330 / month
Urbandale, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,330 / 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

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Portage, IN and Urbandale, 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 Portage, IN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,024/month in Urbandale, IA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $137,717 in Urbandale, IA

Regional cost estimates: Portage, IN uses Chicago, IL. Urbandale, IA uses Des Moines, IA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 10.9%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,024

Savings

Annual Impact

$12.3K

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.

Portage, IN

Population:39K

Cost Index:

97.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$262K

Urbandale, IA

Population:47K

Cost Index:

87.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$284K

Planning the move to Urbandale?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Portage, IN

The Hoosier State

39K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Indiana, this city has a population of 39K residents.

Urbandale, IA

The Hawkeye State

47K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 47K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Portage, IN vs Urbandale, 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	Portage, IN	Urbandale, IA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,449/mo	$1,778/mo	↓ $671less	27.4%
Transportation	$1,491/mo	$1,181/mo	↓ $310less	20.8%
Healthcare	$555/mo	$658/mo	↑ $103more	18.6%
Groceries	$961/mo	$879/mo	↓ $82.43less	8.6%
Other	$1,560/mo	$1,527/mo	↓ $32.76less	2.1%
All Utilities	$485/mo	$454/mo	↓ $30.66less	6.3%

Housing

↓ 27.4%

Portage, IN

$2,449

Urbandale, IA

$1,778

Difference

$671

less

Transportation

↓ 20.8%

Portage, IN

$1,491

Urbandale, IA

$1,181

Difference

$310

less

Healthcare

↑ 18.6%

Portage, IN

$555

Urbandale, IA

$658

Difference

$103

Groceries

↓ 8.6%

Portage, IN

$961

Urbandale, IA

$879

Difference

$82.43

less

Other

↓ 2.1%

Portage, IN

$1,560

Urbandale, IA

$1,527

Difference

$32.76

less

All Utilities

↓ 6.3%

Portage, IN

$485

Urbandale, IA

$454

Difference

$30.66

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$970

To$1,070

↑ $100

1 Bed

From$1,090

To$1,120

↑ $30.00

2 Bed

From$1,330

To$1,330

→ $0

3 Bed

From$1,630

To$1,810

↑ $180

Portage, INZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,090–$1,090/mo

Urbandale, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,120–$1,120/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 Portage, IN

$6,476

Monthly in Urbandale, IA

$1,024

Difference

Home Values

Portage

Urbandale

$262K

Median Value

$284K

↓ -0.4%

YoY Change

↑ +2.1%

↑ +32.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +31.1%

Homes in Urbandale are 8% more expensive than Portage

Calculate payment - Portage Calculate payment - Urbandale

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $5.9K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$488

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

3.9%

Rate difference

Portage, 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

Urbandale, 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

Portage, IN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Urbandale, 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

Portage

Urbandale

54 Moderate

Air Quality

45 Good

35.8%

Good Air Days

67.5%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

92 Moderate

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌡☀🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

25 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

25 days

Before moving from Portage, IN to Urbandale, IA

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Portage, IN vs Urbandale, IA

How do the cost estimates for Portage, IN and Urbandale, IA compare?

Urbandale, IA has a modeled overall cost index 10.9% lower than Portage, IN. 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 Portage, IN, the model estimates $137,717 in Urbandale, 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 Portage, IN and Urbandale, IA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,330/month in Portage, IN and $1,330/month in Urbandale, 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 Indiana and Iowa on TaxTakeHome.com