Cost of Living Comparison Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Gothenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Gothenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,040 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $2,072 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,062 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $3,179 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,085 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $4,287 in Gothenburg, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA is about 2% cheaper than Gothenburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cedar Rapids, IA and Gothenburg sit above the global median – Cedar Rapids, IA by 52%, Gothenburg by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.74 $14.74

$13.87 SEK 130

6.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 $70.4

$90.6 SEK 849

-22.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 $10.66

$10.44 SEK 98.0

2.11%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$4.93 SEK 46.25

5.88%

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

$1.88 $1.88

$2.96 SEK 27.81

-36.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.63 SEK 24.67

-43.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 $4.57

$7.35 SEK 68.9

-37.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 $6.08

$7.88 SEK 73.9

-22.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.74 SEK 16.35

-51.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.91 SEK 27.27

-2.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$3.31 SEK 31.02

41.09%

Eggs

$3.22 $3.22

$4.43 SEK 41.55

-27.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.95 $13.95

$11.64 SEK 109

19.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 $10.78

$12.52 SEK 117

-13.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 $16.28

$19.01 SEK 178

-14.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.12 SEK 29.30

46.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$2.74 SEK 25.67

-57.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$2.88 SEK 27.00

86.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$4.18 SEK 39.18

13.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.66 SEK 15.57

56.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.92 SEK 17.97

22.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.32 SEK 21.72

-15.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.63 SEK 15.25

20.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.29 $9.29

$7.84 SEK 73.6

18.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 $11.06

$14.97 SEK 140

-26.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.23 SEK 20.93

-2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.53 SEK 23.77

34.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 $1.70

$3.81 SEK 35.72

-55.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.10 $30.10

$88.0 SEK 826

-65.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$10.12 SEK 94.9

-64.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.60 SEK 15.01

15.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.60 $42.60

$62.6 SEK 588

-31.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.94 SEK 18.24

-56.19%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$32.3K SEK 303.3K

-23.69%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$35.6K SEK 333.6K

-27.44%

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

$203 $203

$141 SEK 1,318

44.17%

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

$51.5 $51.5

$25.19 SEK 236

104.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.1 $72.1

$39.13 SEK 367

84.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$42.15 SEK 395

138.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.07 SEK 235

Cinema Ticket

$12.67 $12.67

$17.71 SEK 166

-28.46%

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

$974 $974

$178 SEK 1,669

447.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$4,090 SEK 38.4K

493.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 $62.7

$87.1 SEK 817

-28.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.83 $47.83

$39.25 SEK 368

21.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$97.4 SEK 913

4.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$153 SEK 1,434

-14.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 $1,104

$1,120 SEK 10.5K

-1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$733 $733

$852 SEK 7,988

-13.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 $1,781

$1,887 SEK 17.7K

-5.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 $1,219

$1,403 SEK 13.2K

-13.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,542 $1,542

$6,604 SEK 61.9K

-76.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,562 $1,562

$3,695 SEK 34.7K

-57.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,683 $3,683

$3,705 SEK 34.8K

-0.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

4.33

49.88%

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

Last update for Cedar Rapids, IA: June 9, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,104 in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $1,120 in Gothenburg. 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 1% higher in Gothenburg, 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 $91.0 in Gothenburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $380 – making Cedar Rapids, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gothenburg is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,059 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA and $3,108 in Gothenburg. 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 2% more in Gothenburg, 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 $91.0 in Gothenburg. 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 $2,040, than in Gothenburg at $2,072. In Cedar Rapids, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gothenburg 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, Gothenburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.