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 $2,089 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $2,097 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,060 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $3,218 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,031 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $4,339 in Gothenburg, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA and Gothenburg have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.86 $14.86

$13.75 SEK 133

8.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 $69.6

$91.4 SEK 886

-23.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 $10.83

$13.46 SEK 131

-19.54%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$5.14 SEK 49.80

7.98%

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

$2.85 $2.85

$3.03 SEK 29.41

-5.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.30 SEK 22.30

-19.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 $4.38

$7.07 SEK 68.6

-38.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 $5.96

$7.68 SEK 74.5

-22.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.83 SEK 17.72

-61.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.71 SEK 26.27

-8.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$3.30 SEK 31.98

39.70%

Eggs

$2.47 $2.47

$4.07 SEK 39.47

-39.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 $14.29

$12.25 SEK 119

16.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.05 $11.05

$11.83 SEK 115

-6.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.63 $16.63

$17.52 SEK 170

-5.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$3.22 SEK 31.18

56.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.68 SEK 25.96

-58.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$3.12 SEK 30.27

74.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$4.35 SEK 42.16

7.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.88 SEK 18.26

39.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.73 SEK 16.77

29.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.11 SEK 20.42

-6.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.78 SEK 17.21

20.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.83 $9.83

$8.16 SEK 79.1

20.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.12 $11.12

$14.29 SEK 139

-22.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.21 SEK 21.41

1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.25 SEK 21.80

49.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.75 SEK 36.39

-52.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.17 $30.17

$88.2 SEK 855

-65.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$6.49 SEK 62.9

-46.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.73 SEK 16.76

5.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.87 $45.87

$61.2 SEK 593

-25.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.90 SEK 18.47

-57.37%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$34.4K SEK 333.9K

6.91%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$34.7K SEK 336.2K

-21.47%

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

$208 $208

$107 SEK 1,035

94.49%

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

$52.2 $52.2

$20.02 SEK 194

160.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$36.46 SEK 353

89.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$37.87 SEK 367

167.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.13 $19.13

$25.91 SEK 251

-26.17%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 $13.16

$19.30 SEK 187

-31.81%

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

$897 $897

$226 SEK 2,192

296.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K $12.7K

$4,552 SEK 44.1K

179.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 $62.9

$92.1 SEK 892

-31.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.1 $63.1

$34.33 SEK 333

83.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$96.0 SEK 930

32.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 $151

$138 SEK 1,336

9.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 $1,159

$1,093 SEK 10.6K

6.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$708 $708

$974 SEK 9,446

-27.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$1,896 SEK 18.4K

-16.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 $1,186

$1,464 SEK 14.2K

-19.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,573 $1,573

$6,464 SEK 62.7K

-75.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,567 $1,567

$3,660 SEK 35.5K

-57.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,615 $3,615

$3,689 SEK 35.8K

-2.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

3.06

99.35%

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

Last update for Cedar Rapids, IA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,159 in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $1,093 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 2% higher in Gothenburg. 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: $371 vs $373 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,134 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA and $3,145 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 0% more in Gothenburg, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $897 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA and $226 in Gothenburg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Cedar Rapids, IA, where all-in costs run around $2,089, than in Gothenburg at $2,097. 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.