CostIndexUSA

Amarillo, TX vs Iowa City, IA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTX
Amarillo
91.8
overall index
$1,225/mo rent
IA
Iowa City
91.5
overall index
$1,300/mo rent

Amarillo and Iowa City have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+7.1%
Amarillo
78.4
Iowa City
84
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Amarillo
93.8
Iowa City
93.7
🚗 Transportation3.5%
Amarillo
101.1
Iowa City
97.6
🏥 Healthcare3.4%
Amarillo
91.4
Iowa City
88.3
Utilities≈ Equal
Amarillo
83.5
Iowa City
83.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Amarillo to see what you'd need to earn in Iowa City to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Iowa City, IA
$79,700
$300 less needed in Iowa City

Formula: salary × (91.5 ÷ 91.8) = salary × 0.9967. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Amarillo, TX

Median Home Price
$211,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,225
Housing Index
78.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.4×

Iowa City, IA

Median Home Price
$287,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,300
Housing Index
84
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.4×

Iowa City has 7.1% higher housing costs compared to Amarillo.

Income & Job Market

Amarillo, TX

Median Household Income
$64,000
Per Capita Income
$36,500
Unemployment Rate
2.9%
Population
200,393
Top Industries
AgricultureEnergyHealthcareManufacturingRetail

Iowa City, IA

Median Household Income
$71,900
Per Capita Income
$41,000
Unemployment Rate
2.3%
Population
74,398
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyResearchGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Amarillo, TX
4.4×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

Iowa City, IA
4.6×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.