Can A Chef Afford Rent in Coralville, IA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.7% of gross income.

Coralville rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Iowa state estimate).

Coralville median rent
$1,263/mo
Chef salary (Iowa)
$59,018/yr
Rent as % of income
25.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,918, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,475/mo in rent. Coralville's median rent of $1,263 leaves roughly $212/mo of headroom under that threshold. A chef works roughly 44.5 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a chef salary

Chef pay varies sharply by restaurant type, with executive chefs at high-end establishments earning materially above the BLS mean. At the national-average chef salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,604 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Iowa cities have lower median rent than Coralville, which improves the affordability math on a chef salary:

Pleasant Hill, IA
$1,262/mo (25.7% of income)
Cedar Rapids, IA
$1,258/mo (25.6% of income)
Iowa City, IA
$1,257/mo (25.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Coralville

View full rent data for Coralville, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a chef afford rent in Coralville, IA?

Median rent in Coralville is $1,263 a month. A typical chef in Iowa earns about $59,018 a year, which makes that rent 25.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a chef afford in Coralville?

Using the 30% rule, a chef salary in Iowa (~$59,018/yr) supports up to $1,475 a month in rent. Coralville's current median rent is $1,263/mo, which leaves a $212/mo buffer.

How many hours does a chef work to cover rent in Coralville?

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a chef in Iowa works roughly 44.5 hours a month to cover Coralville's median rent of $1,263.

Where is rent cheaper than Coralville for a chef?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Pleasant Hill ($1,262/mo), Cedar Rapids ($1,258/mo), Iowa City ($1,257/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a chef salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Iowa state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Coralville, IA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.