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.
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:
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 | |
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Item | Cedar Rapids | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $115.67 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $158.97 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $105.87 | $113.29 |
| Item | Cedar Rapids | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.35 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.4 | $59.92 |
| Item | Cedar Rapids | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $205.48 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.56 | $192.25 |
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 |