Cost of Living: Cedar Rapids, IA vs Waterloo, IA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,184/mo in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $4,184/mo in Waterloo, IA. In the model, rent is about 13.47% of gross in Cedar Rapids, IA versus 13.06% in Waterloo, IA, so Waterloo, IA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Cedar Rapids, IA
$4,184/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Waterloo, IA
$4,184/mo
Income level: above
Rent share (1BR) in Cedar Rapids, IA
13.47%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Waterloo, IA
13.06%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Cedar Rapids, IA and Waterloo, IA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Waterloo, IA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Waterloo, IA
  • Lower home prices: Waterloo, IA
  • Higher median household income: Cedar Rapids, IA

Cost of Living Index

Cedar Rapids, IA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Waterloo, IA: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Both cities have the same cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100).

Median Rent

Cedar Rapids, IA: $879/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Waterloo, IA: $852/mo

Median rent in Cedar Rapids, IA is $27/mo higher than in Waterloo, IA.

Median Home Price

Cedar Rapids, IA: $177,100 · Waterloo, IA: $150,200

Median home price in Cedar Rapids, IA is $26,900 higher than in Waterloo, IA.

Median Household Income

Cedar Rapids, IA: $67,859 · Waterloo, IA: $56,344

Cedar Rapids, IA has a higher median household income than Waterloo, IA by $11,515.

Cedar Rapids, IA overview · Waterloo, IA overview · Popular comparisons