Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Calgary

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.

100

Cost of Living Index in Cedar Rapids, IA
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Cedar Rapids, IA Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index

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Cedar Rapids, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,058

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,223

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Living in Cedar Rapids, IA costs roughly 7% less than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 $15.12

$17.22 CA$24.34

-12.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 $69.7

$71.1 CA$100

-1.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 $10.84

$10.53 CA$14.89

2.94%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$3.66 CA$5.18

58.74%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$1.98 CA$2.80

40.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.94 CA$2.74

-3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 $4.63

$4.95 CA$7.00

-6.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$5.57 CA$7.87

5.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.88 CA$2.65

-62.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.67 CA$3.78

-7.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$5.32 CA$7.52

-11.65%

Eggs

$2.52 $2.52

$3.79 CA$5.35

-33.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.10 $14.10

$11.09 CA$15.68

27.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.94 $10.94

$11.36 CA$16.05

-3.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.25 $16.25

$18.40 CA$26.01

-11.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$4.56 CA$6.45

8.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.44 CA$2.04

-23.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$4.08 CA$5.76

28.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.89 CA$5.50

17.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.64 CA$3.73

-1.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.64 CA$3.73

-15.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.50 CA$3.54

-19.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.50 CA$2.12

48.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 $10.01

$14.05 CA$19.86

-28.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 $10.82

$15.70 CA$22.20

-31.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.44 CA$3.45

-10.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.09 CA$4.37

5.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.82 CA$3.99

-39.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.20 $30.20

$88.6 CA$125

-65.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.12 CA$4.41

11.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.35 CA$1.91

36.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.60 $45.60

$27.02 CA$38.20

68.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.16 CA$1.64

-26.72%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$27.9K CA$39.5K

29.50%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$20.3K CA$28.8K

30.60%

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

$208 $208

$161 CA$227

29.11%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$38.13 CA$53.9

36.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$50.0 CA$70.7

40.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 $102

$51.5 CA$72.8

98.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.05 $19.05

$18.14 CA$25.64

5.02%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 $12.77

$13.82 CA$19.54

-7.60%

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

$893 $893

$786 CA$1,111

13.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K $12.8K

$15.5K CA$21.8K

-17.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 $62.5

$58.3 CA$82.4

7.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 $63.5

$39.27 CA$55.5

61.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$89.8 CA$127

42.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$110 CA$155

38.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 $1,141

$1,229 CA$1,737

-7.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 $724

$1,001 CA$1,415

-27.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 $1,637

$1,921 CA$2,716

-14.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 $1,194

$1,621 CA$2,292

-26.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,582 $1,582

$3,549 CA$5,018

-55.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,547 $1,547

$3,335 CA$4,715

-53.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,682 $3,682

$3,165 CA$4,474

16.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

4.51

47.01%

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

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

Last update for Calgary: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cedar Rapids, IA

$724 35.2%

Calgary

$1K 45% 38.4% $278

Groceries & Markets

Cedar Rapids, IA

$367 17.9%

Calgary

$385 17.3% 4.9% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cedar Rapids, IA

$330 16%

Calgary

$249 11.2% 24.5% $81

Eating Out

Cedar Rapids, IA

$277 13.5%

Calgary

$265 11.9% 4.3% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Cedar Rapids, IA

$183 8.9%

Calgary

$134 6% 26.8% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Cedar Rapids, IA

$128 6.2%

Calgary

$79 3.6% 38.2% $49

Getting Around

Cedar Rapids, IA

$50 2.4%

Calgary

$110 4.9% 121% $60

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,141 in Cedar Rapids, IA and $1,229 in Calgary. 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: $70.0 in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 vs $385 per month, with Cedar Rapids, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cedar Rapids, IA

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

11:47 11:47 AM

10:47 10:47 AM

1 h behind Cedar Rapids, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

137,710

1,267,344

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

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).

CAD to USD in detail →

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Between locations

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

From you

Cedar Rapids, IA
Calgary

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

Cedar Rapids, IA vs Calgary: 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.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Cedar Rapids, IA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,141 in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $1,229 in Calgary. 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 $2,058 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $2,223 in Calgary – 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, Cedar Rapids, IA and Calgary 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.