Urbandale, IA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-23

Cost Of Living In Urbandale, IA Summary

Cost of living in Urbandale 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 Urbandale 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 Urbandale is 103, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Urbandale is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • Urbandale ranks as the #74 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Urbandale ranks as the #2,952 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Urbandale is $352,571.

  • The median income in Urbandale is $113,086.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
103
Urbandale's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Urbandale, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Urbandale has an overall cost of living index of 103, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Urbandale has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Iowa's index of 91.

The standard of living in Urbandale ranks as #74 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Urbandale ranks as the #11 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Urbandale, check out:

74 out of 85
In Iowa
2,952 out of 6,489
In America

Urbandale Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

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

  • The Services index in Urbandale is 94.

  • The Groceries index in Urbandale is 100.

  • The Health index in Urbandale is 93.

  • The Housing index in Urbandale is 123.

  • The Transportation index in Urbandale is 90.

  • The Utilities index in Urbandale is 88.

Living Expense Urbandale Iowa National Average
Overall 103 91 100
Services 94 97 100
Groceries 100 97 100
Health 93 98 100
Housing 123 75 100
Transportation 90 100 100
Utilities 88 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Urbandale Cost of Living Vs. IA

Urbandale, 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 Urbandale is $352,571.

  • The Median Rent in Urbandale is $1,176.

  • The Median Income in Urbandale is $113,086.

  • The Home Value To Income in Urbandale is 3.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Urbandale is 0.12x.

Statistic Urbandale Iowa United States
Median Home Value $352,571 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $1,176 $949 $1,348
Median Income $113,086 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.1x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.12x 0.16x 0.21x
$352,571
Median Home Value
$1,176
Median Rent
$113,086
Median Income

Urbandale, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Urbandale Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Urbandale Iowa
Shampoo $1.35 $1.28
Movie $11.17 $12.13
Bowling $20.87 $18.0
Haircut $20.63 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.0 $45.56

Detailed Urbandale Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Urbandale Iowa
Ground Beef $6.36 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.38 $1.57
Milk $4.82 $4.67
Potatoes $4.81 $4.93
Pizza $11.84 $12.09
Beer $9.82 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.69 $3.7

Detailed Urbandale Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Urbandale Iowa
Optometrist $125.17 $125.68
Doctor $129.05 $135.78
Dentist $96.6 $113.29

Detailed Urbandale Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Urbandale Iowa
Gasoline $3.19 $3.46
Tire Balancing $52.49 $59.92

Detailed Urbandale Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Urbandale Iowa
All Electricity $154.71 $193.99
Phone $186.87 $192.25

Urbandale SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
8
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
7
Safety
8
Amenities
8.5
Education
9
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Urbandale

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Urbandale. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 89, 0.9x Urbandale.

  • Ankeny, IA has a cost of living index of 101, 1.0x Urbandale.

  • West Des Moines, IA has a cost of living index of 102, 1.0x Urbandale.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Urbandale
Des Moines, IA 212,464 89 0.9x
Ankeny, IA 70,542 101 1.0x
West Des Moines, IA 69,893 102 1.0x
Waukee, IA 26,974 106 1.0x
Johnston, IA 24,196 109 1.1x
Altoona, IA 20,592 97 0.9x
Clive, IA 18,776 109 1.1x
Grimes, IA 15,810 99 1.0x
Norwalk, IA 13,610 99 1.0x
Pleasant Hill, IA 10,796 102 1.0x

Articles About Iowa

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