Cedar Rapids, IA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Cedar Rapids, IA Summary

Cost of living in Cedar Rapids research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Cedar Rapids is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Iowa, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Cedar Rapids is 92, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Cedar Rapids is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Cedar Rapids ranks as the #50 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.

  • Cedar Rapids ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Cedar Rapids is $204,962.

  • The median income in Cedar Rapids is $67,859.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
92
Cedar Rapids's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Cedar Rapids, IA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cedar Rapids has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Iowa, Cedar Rapids has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Iowa's index of 90.

The standard of living in Cedar Rapids ranks as #50 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Cedar Rapids ranks as the #35 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.

For more reading on life in Cedar Rapids, check out:

50 out of 85
In Iowa
1,501 out of 6,489
In America

Cedar Rapids Cost Of Living Vs. Iowa

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Cedar Rapids. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Cedar Rapids is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Cedar Rapids is 99.

  • The Health index in Cedar Rapids is 102.

  • The Housing index in Cedar Rapids is 81.

  • The Transportation index in Cedar Rapids is 101.

  • The Utilities index in Cedar Rapids is 102.

Living Expense Cedar Rapids Iowa National Average
Overall 92 90 100
Services 98 96 100
Groceries 99 97 100
Health 102 99 100
Housing 81 75 100
Transportation 101 99 100
Utilities 102 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Iowa, check out:
Cedar Rapids Cost of Living Vs. IA

Cedar Rapids, IA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Iowa, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Cedar Rapids is $204,962.

  • The Median Rent in Cedar Rapids is $925.

  • The Median Income in Cedar Rapids is $67,859.

  • The Home Value To Income in Cedar Rapids is 3.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Cedar Rapids is 0.16x.

Statistic Cedar Rapids Iowa United States
Median Home Value $204,962 $230,258 $303,400
Median Rent $925 $949 $1,348
Median Income $67,859 $73,147 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.0x 3.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.16x 0.21x
$204,962
Median Home Value
$925
Median Rent
$67,859
Median Income

Cedar Rapids, IA Costs By Category

Detailed Cedar Rapids Services Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Rapids Iowa
Shampoo $1.35 $1.28
Movie $11.73 $12.13
Bowling $17.11 $18
Haircut $25.8 $24.26
Beauty Salon $35.19 $45.56

Detailed Cedar Rapids Groceries Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Rapids Iowa
Ground Beef $5.61 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.37 $1.57
Milk $4.85 $4.67
Potatoes $4.81 $4.93
Pizza $11.32 $12.09
Beer $9.97 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.83 $3.7

Detailed Cedar Rapids Health Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Rapids Iowa
Optometrist $115.67 $125.68
Doctor $158.97 $135.78
Dentist $105.87 $113.29

Detailed Cedar Rapids Transportation Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Rapids Iowa
Gasoline $3.35 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.4 $59.92

Detailed Cedar Rapids Utilities Costs Vs. Iowa

Item Cedar Rapids Iowa
All Electricity $205.48 $193.99
Phone $187.56 $192.25

Cedar Rapids SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
8
Safety
5
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Cedar Rapids

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Cedar Rapids. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Marion, IA has a cost of living index of 97, 1.1x Cedar Rapids.

  • Central, LA has a cost of living index of 106, 1.2x Cedar Rapids.

  • Coralville, IA has a cost of living index of 105, 1.1x Cedar Rapids.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Cedar Rapids
Marion, IA 41,690 97 1.1x
Central, LA 29,603 106 1.2x
Coralville, IA 22,846 105 1.1x
North Liberty, IA 20,782 105 1.1x
Hiawatha, IA 7,178 93 1.0x

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