Per diem rates in Iowa

Per diem in Iowa is $181 a day in most places: $113 for lodging and $68 for M&IE. 2 locations run higher, led by Des Moines at up to $202 a day combined, then Dallas at $197. Rates apply through September 30, 2027.

In FY2024 the standard rate was $107 for lodging plus $59 for M&IE, or $166 a day. Today's $181 is $15 higher. Use the calculator to confirm your dates.

Des Moines runs $122 a night for lodging plus $80 for M&IE, or $202 a day combined. That is $1 a day above last year. Lodging is paid at actual cost up to the cap, with a receipt. The rate covers Polk.

Cedar Rapids is not listed separately in GSA's FY2027 table, so the standard rate applies: $113 for lodging plus $68 for M&IE, or $181 a day. If the city sits inside a listed county, that county's rate applies instead. The costliest Iowa location, Des Moines, runs up to $202 a day.

Per diem is a travel-cost convention, not a wage requirement. In Iowa, employers decide whether to pay it unless a contract, union agreement, or prevailing-wage rule says otherwise. If they pay up to the federal rate under an accountable plan, it is not taxable wages.

The standard lodging rate rose $3 to $113 for FY2027, which takes the standard per diem from $178 to $181 a day. Among 2 higher-rate Iowa locations, 2 rose, 0 fell, and 0 stayed flat at peak lodging. Dallas moved most, up $2 a night.