Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Cedar Rapids, IA: $2,058 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in Cedar Rapids, IA
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Cedar Rapids, IA Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Cedar Rapids, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,058

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,058 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA $2,058
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,080 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA $3,080
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,101 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA $4,101
Chicago, IL $6,077

Cedar Rapids, IA is about 35% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cedar Rapids, IA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Cedar Rapids, IA by 52%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 $15.12

$21.58 $21.58

-29.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 $69.7

$88.7 $88.7

-21.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 $10.84

$13.20 $13.20

-17.88%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$5.59 $5.59

3.94%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$2.63 $2.63

6.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.26 $2.26

-16.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 $4.63

$7.11 $7.11

-34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$9.23 $9.23

-36.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.28 $1.28

-45.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.84 $3.84

-35.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$5.07 $5.07

-7.30%

Eggs

$2.52 $2.52

$4.84 $4.84

-47.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.10 $14.10

$14.17 $14.17

-0.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.94 $10.94

$14.61 $14.61

-25.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.25 $16.25

$18.76 $18.76

-13.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$5.19 $5.19

-5.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$2.00 $2.00

-45.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$4.00 $4.00

31.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$4.98 $4.98

-8.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.79 $2.79

-7.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.65 $2.65

-16.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.13 $2.13

-5.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.09 $3.09

-27.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 $10.01

$16.05 $16.05

-37.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 $10.82

$15.20 $15.20

-28.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.62 $2.62

-16.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.46 $3.46

-5.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.47 $2.47

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.20 $30.20

$75.1 $75.1

-59.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.21 $3.21

8.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.39 $1.39

32.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.60 $45.60

$25.02 $25.02

82.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.24 $1.24

-31.45%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$37.2K $37.2K

-2.81%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

2.91%

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

$208 $208

$192 $192

7.94%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$67.8 $67.8

-23.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$60.9 $60.9

15.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 $102

$53.6 $53.6

91.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.05 $19.05

$27.90 $27.90

-31.72%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 $12.77

$17.80 $17.80

-28.26%

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

$893 $893

$1,554 $1,554

-42.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K $12.8K

$31.4K $31.4K

-59.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 $62.5

$67.9 $67.9

-7.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 $63.5

$50.8 $50.8

25.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$101 $101

25.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$143 $143

6.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 $1,141

$2,383 $2,383

-52.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 $724

$1,712 $1,712

-57.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 $1,637

$4,674 $4,674

-64.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 $1,194

$2,738 $2,738

-56.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,582 $1,582

$4,158 $4,158

-61.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,547 $1,547

$2,691 $2,691

-42.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,682 $3,682

$4,894 $4,894

-24.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.77

-2.07%

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 Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cedar Rapids, IA

$724 35.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 137% $988

Groceries & Markets

Cedar Rapids, IA

$367 17.9%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 22.8% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cedar Rapids, IA

$330 16%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 2.7% $8.8

Eating Out

Cedar Rapids, IA

$277 13.5%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 27.5% $76

Clothing & Footwear

Cedar Rapids, IA

$183 8.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 10.4% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Cedar Rapids, IA

$128 6.2%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 30.3% $39

Getting Around

Cedar Rapids, IA

$50 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 91.4% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,141 in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $2,383 in Chicago, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 33% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $451 – making Cedar Rapids, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cedar Rapids, IA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:23 12:23 PM

Same time as Cedar Rapids, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

137,710

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Cedar Rapids, IA Chicago, IL 330 km

From you

Cedar Rapids, IA
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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 Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 55%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,087 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cedar Rapids, IA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Cedar Rapids, IA and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Cedar Rapids, IA, where all-in costs run around $2,058, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Cedar Rapids, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cedar Rapids, IA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cedar Rapids, IA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.