Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa is about 20% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 80 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,226 a month, 37% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.82 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 34% of the area's $76,421 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.82
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,226
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$11.25
Combo meal
Electricity
17.06¢
per kWh · ~$154/mo
Car Insurance
$118/mo
$1,420/yr
Median Household Income
$76,421
34.2% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,420 in Cedar Rapids. Compare rates:
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,226/mo in Cedar Rapids. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$4.90 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$4.79 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$6.89 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.83 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$5.52 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$8.39 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.39 | $4.90 | +44.5% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.06 | $4.79 | +18.0% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.91 | $6.89 | +40.3% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.98 | $4.83 | +21.4% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.37 | $5.52 | +26.3% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.76 | $8.39 | +45.7% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$11.25
Casual Dining
$18.77
Monthly Spend
$330.08
+3.64% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $6.08
$9.80
+61.2%Wendy's
2022: $6.86
$10.58
+54.2%Chipotle
2022: $7.35
$10.98
+49.4%Starbucks
2022: $3.28
$4.56
+39.0%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Cedar Rapids?
Average 1BR: $1,005/mo · 2BR: $1,447/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
126k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,300
$68k/yr
Top Sector
Trade, Transportation & Utilities
Household vs Worker Pay
$76k
household median
Employment by Sector — Cedar Rapids
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$56k/yr
~$60k/yr
~$105k/yr
~$73k/yr
~$22k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 19113
Highest Paying Sector
Construction
$2,023/wk · $105k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$426/wk · $22k/yr
Cedar Rapids Cost of Living FAQ
Is Cedar Rapids, IA expensive to live in?
Cedar Rapids has a cost of living index of 80, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 20% cheaper than average. It is the most affordable of the 8 Iowa cities we track.
What is the average rent in Cedar Rapids, IA?
Typical rent in Cedar Rapids is $1,226 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 37% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,005 and two bedrooms about $1,447. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Cedar Rapids?
Rent in Cedar Rapids rose 14.0% over the past year, faster than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Cedar Rapids?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.82 a gallon in Cedar Rapids as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Iowa. That is 4% below the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Cedar Rapids?
Homes in Iowa pay an average of 17.1 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Cedar Rapids is about $154.
How much is car insurance in Cedar Rapids?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,420 a year in Iowa, or about $118 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Cedar Rapids?
Median household income in the Cedar Rapids area is $76,421 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $26,114 a year, or 34% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,846 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Cedar Rapids compare with the rest of Iowa?
Rent in Cedar Rapids is about the same as the $1,226 average across the 8 Iowa cities we track, and its cost of living index of 80 compares with a state average of 87.
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