St. Cloud, MN vs Iowa City, IA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Iowa City, IA has a modeled overall cost index 10.0% lower than St. Cloud, MN.

St. Cloud, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,310 / month
Iowa City, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,200 / 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 St. Cloud, MN and Iowa City, 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 St. Cloud, MN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $687/month in Iowa City, IA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $141,754 in Iowa City, IA

Regional cost estimates: St. Cloud, MN uses Minneapolis, MN. Iowa City, IA uses Des Moines, IA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 10.0%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$687

Savings

Annual Impact

$8.2K

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.

St. Cloud, MN

Population:71K

Cost Index:

98.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$259K

Iowa City, IA

Population:76K

Cost Index:

88.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$282K

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St. Cloud, MN

The North Star State

71K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Minnesota, this city has a population of 71K residents.

Iowa City, IA

The Hawkeye State

76K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 76K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: St. Cloud, MN vs Iowa City, 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	St. Cloud, MN	Iowa City, IA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,345/mo	$1,876/mo	↓ $469less	20.0%
Groceries	$1,000/mo	$918/mo	↓ $81.85less	8.2%
Healthcare	$734/mo	$688/mo	↓ $46.27less	6.3%
Other	$1,647/mo	$1,611/mo	↓ $36.15less	2.2%
Transportation	$1,281/mo	$1,246/mo	↓ $34.57less	2.7%
All Utilities	$494/mo	$474/mo	↓ $19.26less	3.9%

Housing

↓ 20.0%

St. Cloud, MN

$2,345

Iowa City, IA

$1,876

Difference

$469

less

Groceries

↓ 8.2%

St. Cloud, MN

$1,000

Iowa City, IA

$918

Difference

$81.85

less

Healthcare

↓ 6.3%

St. Cloud, MN

$734

Iowa City, IA

$688

Difference

$46.27

less

Other

↓ 2.2%

St. Cloud, MN

$1,647

Iowa City, IA

$1,611

Difference

$36.15

less

Transportation

↓ 2.7%

St. Cloud, MN

$1,281

Iowa City, IA

$1,246

Difference

$34.57

less

All Utilities

↓ 3.9%

St. Cloud, MN

$494

Iowa City, IA

$474

Difference

$19.26

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$950

To$925

↓ $25.00

1 Bed

From$1,000

To$1,015

↑ $15.00

2 Bed

From$1,310

To$1,200

↓ $110

3 Bed

From$1,740

To$1,670

↓ $70.00

St. Cloud, MNZIP-level data

1BR range: $890–$1,250/mo

Iowa City, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $980–$1,090/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 St. Cloud, MN

$6,813

Monthly in Iowa City, IA

$687

Difference

Home Values

St. Cloud

Iowa City

$259K

Median Value

$282K

↑ +3.3%

YoY Change

↑ +4.5%

↑ +35.9%

5-Year Change

↑ +27.7%

$231K - $302K

Price Range

$270K - $311K

Homes in Iowa City are 9% more expensive than St. Cloud

Calculate payment - St. Cloud Calculate payment - Iowa City

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $272

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$22.70

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.2%

Rate difference

St. Cloud, MN

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Minnesota State Tax

Effective: 7.0%

$10.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.6%

$47.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,546/month

$102.6K

Iowa City, 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

St. Cloud, MN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

Iowa City, 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

St. Cloud

Iowa City

42 Good

Air Quality

45 Good

66.4%

Good Air Days

67.5%

98 High

Climate Risk

92 Moderate

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌡☀🌪

▲+3.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

25 days

▲+3.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

25 days

Before moving from St. Cloud, MN to Iowa City, IA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Iowa City, IA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in St. Cloud, MN. 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 St. Cloud to Iowa City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: St. Cloud, MN vs Iowa City, IA

How do the cost estimates for St. Cloud, MN and Iowa City, IA compare?

Iowa City, IA has a modeled overall cost index 10.0% lower than St. Cloud, MN. 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 St. Cloud, MN, the model estimates $141,754 in Iowa City, 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 St. Cloud, MN and Iowa City, IA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,310/month in St. Cloud, MN and $1,200/month in Iowa City, 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 Minnesota and Iowa on TaxTakeHome.com