Cost of Owning a Car in Iowa
How Iowa’s gas prices, electricity rates, sales tax and insurance costs affect what you’ll typically pay to own a vehicle.
Iowa at a glance
Gas price
$3.35per gallon, illustrative averageElectricity
$0.13per kWh, illustrative averageSales tax
6.00%plus ~$85 average registrationInsurance in Iowa runs below the national average in this model, reflected as a 0.80× multiplier on our base class rates.
What drives the cost in Iowa
Costs are pushed up mainly by sales tax (about $464 more over 5 years). Working in your favor: insurance rates (about $1,683 less over 5 years) and gas prices (about $389 less over 5 years). (Figures are for a typical SUV compared with the average state.)
5-year cost by vehicle class in Iowa
Uses real market-average vehicle prices per class (from our 152-vehicle MarketCheck pull) combined with Iowa-specific tax, fee, fuel and insurance data.
Sedan
$32,1165-year estimate, $535/moSUV / crossover
$44,1365-year estimate, $736/moTruck
$46,3305-year estimate, $772/moElectric
$46,3335-year estimate, $772/moLuxury
$66,8915-year estimate, $1,115/moPopular vehicles: 5-year cost in Iowa
2026 Toyota RAV4
$33,4205-year cost in IowaFull breakdown →2026 Honda CR-V
$33,0715-year cost in IowaFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Camry
$29,4025-year cost in IowaFull breakdown →2026 Honda Civic
$25,2585-year cost in IowaFull breakdown →2026 Ford F-150
$58,3725-year cost in IowaFull breakdown →2026 Tesla Model Y
$36,4205-year cost in IowaFull breakdown →2026 Chevrolet Equinox
$38,1355-year cost in IowaFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Corolla
$25,2205-year cost in IowaFull breakdown →EV vs. gas in Iowa
At Iowa’s $0.13/kWh electricity and $3.35/gal gas, charging a typical EV at home costs about $515 a year, versus about $1,297 a year to fuel a typical gas sedan — a savings of $782 per year. Run your own numbers with the EV vs. gas calculator.