Overall
86.5
-13.5 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
Cost-of-living indicators for Sioux City, IA-NE-SD, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 43580 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #359 of 387
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD has a cost of living index of 86.5, meaning it's 13.5% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 6.0% less, services 17.3% less, and rents are 42.2% below average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $115,668 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Sioux City
Sioux City ranks #359 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the bottom quartile for cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 86.5, Sioux City, IA-NE-SD is 13.5% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Sioux City's most and least expensive categories — the priciest line item versus rents at 57.8 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $115,668 inside Sioux City, while a household needs roughly $86,454 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 57.8 — 42.2% below the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Sioux City's overall index has fallen by 5.1 points, improving relative affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 94.0 and services at 82.7, meaning everyday spending in Sioux City is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Sioux City Cost Index at a Glance
Sioux City all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Sioux City category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
94.0
-6.0 below avg
Services
82.7
-17.3 below avg
Rents
57.8
-42.2 below avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 86.5 (-13.5 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 94.0 (-6.0 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 82.7 (-17.3 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 57.8 (-42.2 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Below National Average
Rents -42.2% (57.8)
Services -17.3% (82.7)
Overall -13.5% (86.5)
Goods -6.0% (94.0)
Income Adequacy in Sioux City
Sioux City income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 86.5
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$86,454
in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$43,227
$75,000 nationally
$64,841
$125,000 nationally
$108,068
$150,000 nationally
$129,681
$200,000 nationally
$172,908
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending downward, decreasing by 5.1 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 91.5 |
| 2009 | 90.8 |
| 2010 | 92.3 |
| 2011 | 90.4 |
| 2012 | 91.1 |
| 2013 | 90.8 |
| 2014 | 90.3 |
| 2015 | 89.7 |
| 2016 | 90.2 |
| 2017 | 89.7 |
| 2018 | 91.5 |
| 2019 | 92.4 |
| 2020 | 90.5 |
| 2021 | 90.2 |
| 2022 | 87.7 |
| 2023 | 88.2 |
| 2024 | 86.5 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Sioux City, IA-NE-SD's index of 86.5.
Other IA Metros
Related Data for Sioux City
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Sioux City area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Sioux City metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Sioux City
School Districts
NCES school data for Sioux City area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Sioux City area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD? ▼
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 86.5, meaning it is 13.5% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 94.0, services at 82.7, and rents at 57.8. It ranks #359 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $86,454 in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD. Conversely, $100K earned in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD has the purchasing power of $115,668 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD? ▼
Rents in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD are indexed at 57.8, which is 42.2% below the national average. This makes the area relatively affordable for renters.
Is Sioux City, IA-NE-SD getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Sioux City, IA-NE-SD's overall cost index changed by -5.1 points (from 91.5 to 86.5). The cost of living has been declining.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Sioux City, IA-NE-SD? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Kingsport-Bristol, St. Joseph, Morristown. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Sioux City, IA-NE-SD's 86.5.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
