Sioux City, IA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Sioux City, IA Summary

Cost of living in Sioux City research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Sioux City is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Iowa, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Sioux City is 86, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Sioux City is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Sioux City ranks as the #21 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Sioux City ranks as the #639 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Sioux City is $195,631.

  • The median income in Sioux City is $65,473.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
86
Sioux City's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Sioux City, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Sioux City has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Sioux City has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Iowa's index of 90.

The standard of living in Sioux City ranks as #21 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Sioux City ranks as the #64 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Sioux City, check out:

21 out of 85
In Iowa
639 out of 6,489
In America

Sioux City Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Sioux City. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Sioux City is 93.

  • The Groceries index in Sioux City is 95.

  • The Health index in Sioux City is 102.

  • The Housing index in Sioux City is 74.

  • The Transportation index in Sioux City is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Sioux City is 82.

Living Expense Sioux City Iowa National Average
Overall 86 90 100
Services 93 96 100
Groceries 95 97 100
Health 102 99 100
Housing 74 75 100
Transportation 92 99 100
Utilities 82 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Sioux City Cost of Living Vs. IA

Sioux City, IA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Iowa, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Sioux City is $195,631.

  • The Median Rent in Sioux City is $936.

  • The Median Income in Sioux City is $65,473.

  • The Home Value To Income in Sioux City is 3.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Sioux City is 0.17x.

Statistic Sioux City Iowa United States
Median Home Value $195,631 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $936 $949 $1,348
Median Income $65,473 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.0x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.16x 0.21x
$195,631
Median Home Value
$936
Median Rent
$65,473
Median Income

Sioux City, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Sioux City Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Sioux City Iowa
Shampoo $1.29 $1.28
Movie $9.36 $12.13
Bowling $16.4 $18
Haircut $24.32 $24.26
Beauty Salon $35.22 $45.56

Detailed Sioux City Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Sioux City Iowa
Ground Beef $5.89 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.75 $4.67
Potatoes $4.63 $4.93
Pizza $10.64 $12.09
Beer $9.33 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Sioux City Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Sioux City Iowa
Optometrist $135.1 $125.68
Doctor $177.33 $135.78
Dentist $108.21 $113.29

Detailed Sioux City Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Sioux City Iowa
Gasoline $3.28 $3.46
Tire Balancing $49.42 $59.92

Detailed Sioux City Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Sioux City Iowa
All Electricity $141.67 $193.99
Phone $194.04 $192.25

Sioux City SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
8.5
Safety
4
Amenities
8.5
Education
6
Commute
9

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