Cost comparison
Compare rent, housing, utilities, groceries, salary needs, and move score across the city profiles currently available in LifeAtlas.
Iowa
Ames is a college-town and research market in Iowa, useful for starter comparisons around rent, housing, utilities, wages, benefits, insurance, and moving costs.
Iowa
Waterloo is a lower-cost regional employment market in Iowa, useful for starter comparisons around rent, housing, utilities, wages, benefits, insurance, and moving costs.
Comparison
Waterloo has the lower salary-needed estimate, while Waterloo has the lower starter rent. Differences are shown as Waterloo minus Ames.
| Metric | Ames | Waterloo | Difference | Advantage | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $924 | $819 | -$105 | Waterloo | Waterloo has the lower median rent. |
| Home price | $197,800 | $174,800 | -$23,000 | Waterloo | Waterloo has the lower home price. |
| Utilities | $174/mo | $186/mo | +$12/mo | Ames | Ames has the lower utilities. |
| Groceries index | 97 | 100 | +3 | Ames | Ames has the lower groceries index. |
| Salary needed | $46,800 | $42,640 | -$4,160 | Waterloo | Waterloo has the lower salary needed. |
| Move score | 84/100 | 81/100 | -3 | Ames | Ames has the higher move score. |