

Little Rock vs Waterloo
$14/mo less in Waterloo
Little RockWaterlooAbout 538 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Waterloo costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- Real winters
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,752/mo in Waterloo. $2,766/mo in Little Rock. −$168 a year.
Little Rock
$2,766
left each month
Waterloo
$2,752
−$14 vs Little Rock
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
−$14 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Little Rock | Waterloo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,208 | $6,858 | −$351 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,702 | $1,549 | −$153 |
| Take-home pay | $5,507 | $5,309 | −$198 |
| Rent | $906 | $788 | −$118 |
| Getting around | $540 | $510 | −$30 |
| Groceries | $357 | $347 | −$10 |
| Healthcare | $402 | $391 | −$11 |
| Utilities | $223 | $217 | −$6 |
| Everything else | $313 | $304 | −$9 |
| Left over | $2,766 | $2,752 | −$14 |
Salary to match Little Rock
$82,500
Gross pay in Waterloo that leaves the same amount as $86,500 in Little Rock.
Tax difference
+$588
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 23.6% in Little Rock, 22.6% in Waterloo.
More about Waterloo
Little Rock, AR in full
State income tax topping out at 3.9%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,079 and 208 sunny days; commutes average 23 minutes.
Waterloo, IA in full
A flat 3.8% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $938 and 204 sunny days; commutes average 17 minutes.
The other way
Start in Waterloo.
Waterloo → Little Rock →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Waterloo than Little Rock?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Waterloo leaves about $14 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $906 in Little Rock and $788 in Waterloo.
Does Waterloo have state income tax?
Waterloo is in Iowa, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Little Rock to Waterloo?
The paycheck is taxed in Iowa. 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 Little Rock and Waterloo 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.