Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Cedar Rapids, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Cedar Rapids, IA: $2,032 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $21,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
98

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

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Cedar Rapids, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,032

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA 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 Seattle, WA and in Cedar Rapids, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,032 in Cedar Rapids, IA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Cedar Rapids, IA $2,032

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,053 in Cedar Rapids, IA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Cedar Rapids, IA $3,053

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,074 in Cedar Rapids, IA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Cedar Rapids, IA $4,074

Seattle, WA costs about 86% more than Cedar Rapids, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Cedar Rapids, IA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Cedar Rapids, IA by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$14.97 $14.97

69.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$70.5 $70.5

43.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.80 $10.80

36.67%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.73 $5.73

13.44%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.82 $2.82

13.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.85 $1.85

69.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.57 $4.57

74.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$5.83 $5.83

39.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.73 $0.73

60.27%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.45 $2.45

116.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.65 $4.65

37.63%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.44 $2.44

107.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$14.35 $14.35

30.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.92 $10.92

71.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$16.61 $16.61

37.75%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.09 $5.09

19.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.10 $1.10

77.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.29 $5.29

4.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.58 $4.58

42.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.63 $2.63

32.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.32 $2.32

41.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.04 $2.04

37.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.22 $2.22

16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.90 $9.90

26.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$10.90 $10.90

36.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.24 $2.24

87.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.27 $3.27

77.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.02 $1.02

199.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$29.96 $29.96

253.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.56 $3.56

-27.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.84 $1.84

-10.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$45.55 $45.55

-33.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.84 $0.84

67.86%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$33.3K $33.3K

10.48%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.44%

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

$308 $308

$204 $204

50.61%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$54.7 $54.7

26.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$69.9 $69.9

23.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$70.8 $70.8

7.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$19.31 $19.31

83.84%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$13.21 $13.21

36.41%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$871 $871

215.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$61.8 $61.8

28.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$63.4 $63.4

-14.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$128 $128

-1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$152 $152

4.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,125 $1,125

122.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$732 $732

164.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,602 $1,602

219.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,228 $1,228

188.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$1,774 $1,774

315.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,492 $1,492

235.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,701 $3,701

74.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.63

3.92%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 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

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$732 36% 62.2% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$371 18.2% 32.2% $176

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$329 16.2% 29% $134

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$274 13.5% 32.5% $132

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$182 9% 3.4% $6.3

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$47 2.3% 63.7% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$97 4.8% 13.6% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA 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 75% higher in Seattle, WA, 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 $101 in Seattle, WA versus $70 in Cedar Rapids, IA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $371 – making Cedar Rapids, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Cedar Rapids, IA

🕒 Local time

21:03 9:03 PM

23:03 11:03 PM

2 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

137,710

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Cedar Rapids, IA 2,480 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
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

Seattle, WA vs Cedar Rapids, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 86%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA 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 $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA 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 Seattle, WA at $3,785. In Cedar Rapids, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA 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, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.