

Sioux Falls vs Waterloo
$205/mo less in Waterloo
Sioux FallsWaterlooAbout 233 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Waterloo costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- Real winters
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,754/mo in Waterloo. $2,959/mo in Sioux Falls. −$2,460 a year.
Sioux Falls
$2,959
left each month
Waterloo
$2,754
−$205 vs Sioux Falls
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
−$205 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Sioux Falls | Waterloo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,250 | $6,860 | −$390 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,451 | $1,550 | +$99 |
| Take-home pay | $5,799 | $5,311 | −$489 |
| Rent | $982 | $788 | −$194 |
| Getting around | $539 | $510 | −$29 |
| Groceries | $364 | $347 | −$17 |
| Healthcare | $410 | $391 | −$19 |
| Utilities | $228 | $217 | −$11 |
| Everything else | $319 | $304 | −$15 |
| Left over | $2,959 | $2,754 | −$205 |
Salary to match Sioux Falls
$86,000
Gross pay in Waterloo that leaves the same amount as $87,000 in Sioux Falls.
Tax difference
−$2,573
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 20.0% in Sioux Falls, 22.6% in Waterloo.
More about Waterloo
Sioux Falls, SD in full
No income tax, an 18-minute commute, and nothing to do in February.
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 → Sioux Falls →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Waterloo than Sioux Falls?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Waterloo leaves about $205 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $982 in Sioux Falls and $788 in Waterloo.
Does Waterloo have state income tax?
Waterloo is in Iowa, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Sioux Falls 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 Sioux Falls 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.