

Iowa City vs New York
$1,297/mo less in New York
Iowa CityNew YorkAbout 928 miles apart, a flight.
- New York costs you more
- Rent over 30% of pay
- 224 sunny days
Same paycheck, two cities. $1,221/mo in New York. $2,518/mo in Iowa City. −$15,564 a year.
Iowa City
$2,518
left each month
New York
$1,221
−$1,297 vs Iowa City
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 25 households moved Iowa City → New York (avg AGI $63,400). The whole move →
−$1,297 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Iowa City | New York | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,542 | $9,256 | +$2,715 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,443 | $2,872 | +$1,429 |
| Take-home pay | $5,099 | $6,384 | +$1,285 |
| Rent | $911 | $3,018 | +$2,107 |
| Getting around | $411 | $347 | −$64 |
| Groceries | $347 | $496 | +$149 |
| Healthcare | $391 | $558 | +$167 |
| Utilities | $217 | $310 | +$93 |
| Everything else | $304 | $434 | +$130 |
| Left over | $2,518 | $1,221 | −$1,297 |
Salary to match Iowa City
$137,500
Gross pay in New York that leaves the same amount as $78,500 in Iowa City.
Tax difference
−$7,493
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 22.1% in Iowa City, 31.0% in New York.
More about New York
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.
New York, NY in full
The one place where skipping a car genuinely offsets the rent.
The other way
Start in New York.
New York → Iowa City →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in New York than Iowa City?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, New York leaves about $1,297 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $911 in Iowa City and $3,018 in New York.
Does New York have state income tax?
New York is in New York, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 3.88%.
What changes if you move from Iowa City to New York?
The paycheck is taxed in New York. 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 New York 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.