Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Cedar Rapids, IA: $2,032 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
98

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

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Cedar Rapids, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,032

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,032 in Cedar Rapids, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Cedar Rapids, IA $2,032

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,053 in Cedar Rapids, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Cedar Rapids, IA $3,053

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,074 in Cedar Rapids, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Cedar Rapids, IA $4,074

Chicago, IL costs about 49% more than Cedar Rapids, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Cedar Rapids, IA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Cedar Rapids, IA by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.97 $14.97

38.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$70.5 $70.5

26.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.80 $10.80

22.13%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.73 $5.73

-1.22%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.82 $2.82

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.85 $1.85

23.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.57 $4.57

50.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.83 $5.83

51.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.73 $0.73

71.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.45 $2.45

51.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.65 $4.65

15.91%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.44 $2.44

94.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.35 $14.35

-3.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.92 $10.92

31.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.61 $16.61

10.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.09 $5.09

2.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.10 $1.10

80.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.29 $5.29

-23.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.58 $4.58

8.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.63 $2.63

1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.32 $2.32

14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.04 $2.04

9.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.22 $2.22

40.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.90 $9.90

39.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$10.90 $10.90

36.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.24 $2.24

13.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.27 $3.27

7.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.02 $1.02

138.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$29.96 $29.96

145.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.56 $3.56

-10.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.84 $1.84

-24.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$45.55 $45.55

-45.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.84 $0.84

42.86%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$33.3K $33.3K

5.20%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.12%

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

$194 $194

$204 $204

-4.81%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$54.7 $54.7

27.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$69.9 $69.9

-11.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$70.8 $70.8

-32.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$19.31 $19.31

41.58%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.21 $13.21

34.82%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$871 $871

105.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$61.8 $61.8

8.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$63.4 $63.4

-17.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$128 $128

-20.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$152 $152

-5.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,125 $1,125

124.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$732 $732

115.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,602 $1,602

195.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,228 $1,228

119.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,774 $1,774

136.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,492 $1,492

85.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,701 $3,701

33.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.63

2.71%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Cedar Rapids, IA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$732 36% 53.6% $846

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$371 18.2% 17.2% $77

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$274 13.5% 20.5% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$329 16.2% 1% $3.3

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$182 9% 11.2% $18

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$47 2.3% 49.9% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$97 4.8% 16.4% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,125 in Cedar Rapids, IA. 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $70 in Cedar Rapids, IA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $371 – making Cedar Rapids, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Cedar Rapids, IA

🕒 Local time

00:10 12:10 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

137,710

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Cedar Rapids, IA 330 km

From you

Chicago, IL
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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

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

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 49%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,048 in Cedar Rapids, IA. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,125 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $70 in Cedar Rapids, IA. 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 $2,032, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. 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.

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