Cost of living, taxes, and quality of life compared for 2026 — with a verdict.
Minnesota vs Iowa comes down to what you value. Iowa is the more affordable of the two — its cost of living runs about 9% lower than Minnesota, so the same paycheck stretches further. Minnesota ranks higher overall on our Best Life Rank (#4 vs #30), balancing cost against quality of life. Minnesota is strongest on healthcare and weakest on climate; Iowa is strongest on safety and weakest on climate.
| Metric | Minnesota | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| BLISS score (cost) | 1.00 0% below average | 0.91 9% below average |
| Best Life Rank | #4 | #30 |
| Cost of living | #29 | #20 |
| Climate | #45 | #41 |
| Healthcare | #5 | #14 |
| Schools | #7 | #20 |
| Safety | #11 | #13 |
| Economy | #13 | #30 |
| Air quality | #18 | #23 |
Ranks are out of 50 states (#1 = best). BLISS score is a cost-of-living multiplier where 1.00 = the U.S. average; lower is cheaper. Green = the better of the two.
To live the way $100,000 does in Minnesota, you'd need about $91,000 in Iowa.
To live the way $100,000 does in Iowa, you'd need about $110,000 in Minnesota.
Based on each state's BLISS cost score. See your real after-tax paycheck in each state below.
Enter your salary and get your actual paycheck after Minnesota taxes.
Calculate my take-home pay ›Enter your salary and get your actual paycheck after Iowa taxes.
Calculate my take-home pay ›Iowa is cheaper. Its cost of living is about 9% lower, reflected in a BLISS score of 0.91 versus 1.00. A lower BLISS score means your paycheck goes further.
On our Best Life Rank, which balances cost against climate, healthcare, schools, safety, economy and air quality, Minnesota ranks higher (#4 vs #30). But 'better' depends on your priorities — Minnesota leads on healthcare while Iowa leads on safety.
Because of the cost-of-living difference, $100,000 in Minnesota is roughly equivalent to $91,000 in Iowa for the same lifestyle. See each state's real after-tax take-home pay with our paycheck guides linked above.