Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Cedar Rapids, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Cedar Rapids, IA: $2,058 a month against $2,223 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Calgary outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index
100

Cost of Living Index in Cedar Rapids, IA
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Cedar Rapids, IA Living Index

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Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,223

/mo nomad

Cedar Rapids, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,058

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Cedar Rapids, IA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calgary and in Cedar Rapids, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Calgary versus $2,058 in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Calgary $2,223
Cedar Rapids, IA $2,058

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,301 in Calgary versus $3,080 in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Calgary $3,301
Cedar Rapids, IA $3,080

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,379 in Calgary versus $4,101 in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Calgary $4,379
Cedar Rapids, IA $4,101

Living in Calgary is roughly 8% more expensive than in Cedar Rapids, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 65% above, Cedar Rapids, IA 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 CA$24.34

$15.12 $15.12

13.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$100

$69.7 $69.7

1.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 CA$14.89

$10.84 $10.84

-2.86%

Cappuccino

$3.66 CA$5.18

$5.81 $5.81

-37.01%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.80

$2.79 $2.79

-29.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 CA$2.74

$1.88 $1.88

3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 CA$7.00

$4.63 $4.63

6.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 CA$7.87

$5.87 $5.87

-5.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$0.70 $0.70

168.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.78

$2.46 $2.46

8.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 CA$7.52

$4.70 $4.70

13.19%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.35

$2.52 $2.52

50.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.09 CA$15.68

$14.10 $14.10

-21.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 CA$16.05

$10.94 $10.94

3.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.40 CA$26.01

$16.25 $16.25

13.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.45

$4.93 $4.93

-7.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.04

$1.10 $1.10

30.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.76

$5.26 $5.26

-22.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.50

$4.58 $4.58

-15.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.73

$2.59 $2.59

1.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.73

$2.22 $2.22

18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.54

$2.01 $2.01

24.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.12

$2.23 $2.23

-32.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.05 CA$19.86

$10.01 $10.01

40.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.70 CA$22.20

$10.82 $10.82

45.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CA$3.45

$2.18 $2.18

11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.37

$3.26 $3.26

-5.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.99

$1.71 $1.71

64.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 CA$125

$30.20 $30.20

193.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 CA$4.41

$3.48 $3.48

-10.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.91

$1.84 $1.84

-26.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.02 CA$38.20

$45.60 $45.60

-40.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.64

$0.85 $0.85

36.47%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.9K CA$39.5K

$36.1K $36.1K

-22.78%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.3K CA$28.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

-23.43%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$161 CA$227

$208 $208

-22.54%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$38.13 CA$53.9

$52.0 $52.0

-26.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.0 CA$70.7

$70.2 $70.2

-28.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.5 CA$72.8

$102 $102

-49.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 CA$25.64

$19.05 $19.05

-4.78%

Cinema Ticket

$13.82 CA$19.54

$12.77 $12.77

8.22%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$786 CA$1,111

$893 $893

-11.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K CA$21.8K

$12.8K $12.8K

20.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 CA$82.4

$62.5 $62.5

-6.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.27 CA$55.5

$63.5 $63.5

-38.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 CA$127

$128 $128

-29.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$152 $152

-27.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 CA$1,737

$1,141 $1,141

7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 CA$1,415

$724 $724

38.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,921 CA$2,716

$1,637 $1,637

17.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 CA$2,292

$1,194 $1,194

35.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,549 CA$5,018

$1,582 $1,582

124.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,335 CA$4,715

$1,547 $1,547

115.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,165 CA$4,474

$3,682 $3,682

-14.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

6.63

-31.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Calgary: October 13, 2026

Last update for Cedar Rapids, IA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calgary

$1K 45%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$724 35.2% 27.7% $278

Groceries & Markets

Calgary

$385 17.3%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$367 17.9% 4.6% $18

Eating Out

Calgary

$265 11.9%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$277 13.5% 4.5% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calgary

$249 11.2%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$330 16% 32.5% $81

Clothing & Footwear

Calgary

$134 6%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$183 8.9% 36.5% $49

Getting Around

Calgary

$110 4.9%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$50 2.4% 54.8% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Calgary

$79 3.6%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$128 6.2% 61.8% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,229 in Calgary and $1,141 in Cedar Rapids, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cedar Rapids, IA pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $70.0 in Cedar Rapids, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $367 per month, with Cedar Rapids, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Calgary

🇺🇸 Cedar Rapids, IA

🕒 Local time

11:20 11:20 AM

12:20 12:20 PM

1 h ahead of Calgary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,267,344

137,710

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Calgary Cedar Rapids, IA 1,980 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Calgary
Cedar Rapids, IA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Calgary vs Cedar Rapids, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cedar Rapids, IA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries and transport. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Cedar Rapids, IA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,229 in Calgary versus $1,141 in Cedar Rapids, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cedar Rapids, IA – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,223 per month in Calgary versus $2,058 in Cedar Rapids, IA – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,058 in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $2,223 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cedar Rapids, IA but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Cedar Rapids, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Cedar Rapids, IA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cedar Rapids, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.