Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Montreal

For one person, living costs are similar in Cedar Rapids, IA and in Montreal: $2,058 and $2,018 a month, rent and utilities included.

100

Cost of Living Index in Cedar Rapids, IA
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Cedar Rapids, IA Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Montreal
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Montreal Living Index

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Cedar Rapids, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,058

/mo nomad

Montreal

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,018

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $2,058 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $2,018 in Montreal, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA $2,058
Montreal $2,018

A couple spends around $3,080 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $3,085 in Montreal, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA $3,080
Montreal $3,085

A family of three spends $4,101 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $4,152 in Montreal, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA $4,101
Montreal $4,152

Cedar Rapids, IA costs about 2% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Cedar Rapids, IA and Montreal sit above the global median – Cedar Rapids, IA by 52%, Montreal by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 $15.12

$18.82 CA$26.61

-19.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 $69.7

$70.3 CA$99.4

-0.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 $10.84

$10.66 CA$15.06

1.69%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$3.84 CA$5.43

51.30%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$1.92 CA$2.71

45.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.54 CA$2.18

22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 $4.63

$6.23 CA$8.81

-25.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$7.10 CA$10.03

-17.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$2.31 CA$3.27

-69.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.14 CA$4.44

-21.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$3.21 CA$4.54

46.42%

Eggs

$2.52 $2.52

$3.52 CA$4.97

-28.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.10 $14.10

$12.81 CA$18.11

10.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.94 $10.94

$11.46 CA$16.20

-4.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.25 $16.25

$13.39 CA$18.92

21.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.14 CA$4.43

57.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.44 CA$2.03

-23.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$3.47 CA$4.91

51.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.07 CA$4.34

49.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.90 CA$2.69

36.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.77 CA$2.50

25.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.34 CA$3.31

-14.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.55 CA$2.19

43.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 $10.01

$11.38 CA$16.09

-12.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 $10.82

$10.63 CA$15.03

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.27 CA$3.21

-3.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.82 CA$3.99

15.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.66 CA$3.76

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.20 $30.20

$77.3 CA$109

-60.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.20 CA$4.53

8.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.48 CA$2.09

24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.60 $45.60

$32.88 CA$46.48

38.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.34 CA$1.90

-36.57%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$28.2K CA$39.8K

28.37%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$19.6K CA$27.8K

35.39%

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

$208 $208

$76.0 CA$107

173.24%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$33.95 CA$48.00

53.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$42.31 CA$59.8

66.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 $102

$29.76 CA$42.07

244.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.05 $19.05

$20.28 CA$28.67

-6.07%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 $12.77

$11.15 CA$15.77

14.53%

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

$893 $893

$507 CA$717

76.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K $12.8K

$16.1K CA$22.7K

-20.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 $62.5

$57.6 CA$81.4

8.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 $63.5

$37.58 CA$53.1

69.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$91.9 CA$130

38.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$110 CA$155

38.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 $1,141

$1,260 CA$1,782

-9.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 $724

$948 CA$1,340

-23.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 $1,637

$2,137 CA$3,021

-23.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 $1,194

$1,614 CA$2,281

-26.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,582 $1,582

$4,960 CA$7,011

-68.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,547 $1,547

$3,838 CA$5,425

-59.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,682 $3,682

$2,827 CA$3,997

30.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

4.48

47.99%

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 Montreal: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cedar Rapids, IA

$724 35.2%

Montreal

$948 47% 31% $224

Groceries & Markets

Cedar Rapids, IA

$367 17.9%

Montreal

$346 17.2% 5.7% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cedar Rapids, IA

$330 16%

Montreal

$152 7.5% 53.8% $178

Eating Out

Cedar Rapids, IA

$277 13.5%

Montreal

$288 14.3% 4% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Cedar Rapids, IA

$183 8.9%

Montreal

$133 6.6% 26.9% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Cedar Rapids, IA

$128 6.2%

Montreal

$52 2.6% 59.3% $76

Getting Around

Cedar Rapids, IA

$50 2.4%

Montreal

$99 4.9% 98.3% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,141 in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $1,260 in Montreal. 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 30% higher in Cedar Rapids, IA, 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 $70.0 in Montreal. Groceries tell a different story – $367 in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $346 in Montreal – so Montreal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cedar Rapids, IA

🇨🇦 Montreal

🕒 Local time

13:48 1:48 PM

14:48 2:48 PM

1 h ahead of Cedar Rapids, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

137,710

1,762,949

💱 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 Montreal 1,500 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Cedar Rapids, IA
Montreal

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 Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cedar Rapids, IA is pricier by about 2%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,087 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA and $3,027 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 6% more in Cedar Rapids, IA, 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 $70.0 in Montreal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,018, than in Cedar Rapids, IA at $2,058. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cedar Rapids, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montreal – 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 Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cedar Rapids, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.