Cost of living index

Cedar Rapids, IA

89.0 / 100

Living in Cedar Rapids, IA is 11.0% cheaper than the US average — the #310 of 387 highest nationally.

Median rent: $899/mo

Median home value: $202,100

Figures — including the cost index, median rent, and median home value — cover the wider Cedar Rapids, IA metropolitan area, not individual neighbourhoods or city boundaries.

Winter
31° / 15°F
(-1° / -9°C)
3.8 in precip
Spring
59° / 38°F
(15° / 3°C)
9.8 in precip
Summer
81° / 61°F
(27° / 16°C)
14 in precip
Fall
61° / 40°F
(16° / 4°C)
8.3 in precip

30-year climate normals (1991–2020) from CEDAR RAPIDS MUNI AP, via NOAA.

The Cedar Rapids, IA metro area has an overall price level of 89.0 compared with the national average of 100, meaning everyday costs run about 11.0% lower than a typical US metro. Housing tells the sharper story: at 71.4 it is 28.6% below the national average. Housing rents are often one of the largest sources of difference between metro areas, so this figure can have a significant impact when comparing locations.

Overall#310 of 387
89.0
Goods#340 of 387
93.7
Housing rents#257 of 387
71.4
Utilities#280 of 387
84.0
Other services#372 of 387
92.9

Cedar Rapids, IA is moved down the most by housing rents, at 71.4 vs a US average of 100, while the closest to average is goods.

Browse Iowa →See the cheapest and most expensive US metros →

Figures on this page come from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities dataset, 2024 — the most recent year published. An index of 100 marks the national average; a metro above 100 has higher prices than a typical US metro, below 100 lower. Median rent and median home value are from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-year estimates, and seasonal weather is from NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals. These are regional figures only, not a complete personal budget — they don’t account for individual spending habits, taxes, or household circumstances. See the full methodology for how the index and salary-equivalent estimates are calculated.

Compare My City is an independent project and is not operated by, endorsed by, or affiliated with the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Census Bureau, or NOAA.

Is Cedar Rapids, IA an expensive place to live?

Cedar Rapids, IA has an overall cost-of-living index of 89.0, where 100 is the US average. That makes it about 11.0% cheaper than the country as a whole.

Is housing expensive in Cedar Rapids, IA?

Housing rents in Cedar Rapids, IA score 71.4 against a US average of 100 — roughly 28.6% below average. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

How does Cedar Rapids, IA compare to the US average cost of living?

Overall prices in Cedar Rapids, IA sit at 89.0 versus 100 for the US average, with housing at 71.4. Figures come from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis for 2024.