Living Cost Compare
Omaha

Nebraska

$1,130/mo est.

vs
Sioux Falls

South Dakota

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,130 in Omaha, NE versus $1,030 in Sioux Falls, SD. Overall, Sioux Falls, SD is roughly 9% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Omaha, NE, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,708 in Omaha, NE and $74,714 in Sioux Falls, SD — about 3% higher in Sioux Falls, SD. Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax; South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax.

Omaha, NE
Sioux Falls, SD

Rent

Studio
$908
$825
+9% in Omaha, NE
1 Bedroom
$984
$870
+12% in Omaha, NE
2 Bedroom
$1,193
$1,000
+16% in Omaha, NE
3 Bedroom
$1,437
$1,237
+14% in Omaha, NE

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$230,100
$271,400
+18% in Sioux Falls, SD

Income

Median Household Income
$72,708
$74,714
+3% in Sioux Falls, SD
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,660
$47,970
+3% in Omaha, NE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.3 yr
35.1 yr
+0.2 yr in Omaha, NE
Homeownership
57.7%
60.0%
+2.3 pp in Sioux Falls, SD
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.3%
37.4%
+2.9 pp in Omaha, NE
Avg Commute
19.6 min
17.0 min
+2.6 min in Omaha, NE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
359
526.7
+47% in Sioux Falls, SD
Property Crime
3,153.5
2,927.1
+7% in Omaha, NE

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
51.1°F
45.8°F
+5.3°F in Omaha, NE
Annual Precipitation
30.6 in
26.4 in
+4.2 in in Omaha, NE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.94/gal
about equal

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

Adult base one-way fare — Metro Transit (Omaha) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.6
15.7
+16% in Sioux Falls, SD
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.53
$10.95
+29% in Omaha, NE

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.31
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.66
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$3.63
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.77
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.10
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — Midwest vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NE / SD)
5.5%
4.2%
+1.3 pp in NE
Income Tax (top rate)
4.55%
None
+4.5 pp in NE

Omaha vs Sioux Falls — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Sioux Falls?
Sioux Falls, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Omaha, NE's $1,130, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha than in Sioux Falls?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $35,000 in Sioux Falls.
Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Sioux Falls?
Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax); Sioux Falls under South Dakota's (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).