

Iowa City vs Omaha
$100/mo more in Omaha
Iowa CityOmahaAbout 226 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Omaha leaves you more
- Property tax 1.63%
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,618/mo in Omaha. $2,518/mo in Iowa City. +$1,200 a year.
Iowa City
$2,518
left each month
Omaha
$2,618
+$100 vs Iowa City
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 27 households moved Iowa City → Omaha (avg AGI $64,222). 44 went the other way. The whole move →
+$100 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Iowa City | Omaha | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,542 | $7,390 | +$848 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,443 | $1,803 | +$360 |
| Take-home pay | $5,099 | $5,586 | +$488 |
| Rent | $911 | $1,089 | +$178 |
| Getting around | $411 | $545 | +$134 |
| Groceries | $347 | $368 | +$21 |
| Healthcare | $391 | $414 | +$23 |
| Utilities | $217 | $230 | +$13 |
| Everything else | $304 | $322 | +$18 |
| Left over | $2,518 | $2,618 | +$100 |
Salary to match Iowa City
$87,000
Gross pay in Omaha that leaves the same amount as $78,500 in Iowa City.
Tax difference
−$1,304
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 22.1% in Iowa City, 24.4% in Omaha.
More about Omaha
Iowa City, IA in full
A flat 3.8% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,085 and 207 sunny days; commutes average 20 minutes.
Omaha, NE in full
A 21-minute commute and one of the most stable job markets in the Midwest.
The other way
Start in Omaha.
Omaha → Iowa City →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Omaha than Iowa City?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Omaha leaves about $100 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $911 in Iowa City and $1,089 in Omaha.
Does Omaha have state income tax?
Omaha is in Nebraska, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Iowa City to Omaha?
The paycheck is taxed in Nebraska. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Iowa City and Omaha changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.