The Cost of Living Diaries: Cedar Rapids, IA

Bart Carithers

Welcome to The Cost of Living Diaries. How much does it cost to live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa? What’s it like to own a business here? Keep reading because we asked a few Cedar Rapids residents to tell us all about the cost of living in this thriving city!

The beautiful Iowa city of Cedar Rapids offers an enviable lifestyle that simply can’t be replicated elsewhere. Livability chatted with residents Bart Carithers, and Kate and Ben Weber about the cost of living in Cedar Rapids.

Big City, Small-Town Feel

Bart Carithers grew up in the area, left for college, lived all over the U.S. for 35 years (California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island), and then returned to Cedar Rapids in 2014. He bought Next Page Books from the previous owner in 2015 and has been running it ever since. Livability sat down with Bart to chat about what it’s like to work and live in Cedar Rapids, IA.

How would you describe the community?
It’s a good-size city, but it feels like a small town. It’s affordable, comfortable and uncomplicated. The quality of life here is great. The people are friendly, generous and always willing to lend a hand. There are quite a few things to do here for a community this size – a lot of art and culture. The city has invested heavily in the last 10+ years in trails and bike lanes on streets, and I think people outside the area would be surprised to learn about the cycling culture here.

What has it been like living in an apartment in Cedar Rapids?
I’ve stayed in an apartment since I moved back, and I can say I pay a fraction of what I paid elsewhere around the country. I pay $650 a month for a 750-square-foot place (in Czech Village). I have looked at the possibility of buying a house, so I know the median home price is around ($180,000), so the cost of living here is exceptionally low.

What’s your favorite restaurant in Cedar Rapids, and about how much would dinner and drinks cost you?
The restaurant I frequent the most is Lucita’s Diner. It’s a small Mexican place on the southwest side of town, and I meet friends there every Tuesday night after work. The owners and staff know us by name, and our margaritas are always ready for us as soon as we sit down at our regular booth. You can get a really good meal there for a pretty low price ($30), depending on how many margaritas you get.

What’s a fun coffee shop in the area, and how much would your favorite drink cost?
I’m a creature of habit, so I grab a latte every morning before work at Roasters (Coffeehouse), which is located directly across the street from the bookstore. It’s convenient, the staff is great, and it doesn’t hurt that they make a really good latte. (A 16-ounce latte) would be about $5.50. For a city this size, there’s an abundance of coffee shops.

All About the Family

For Kate and Ben Weber, Cedar Rapids offers all they could ever ask for – a tight-knit community, career opportunities and plenty to do on the weekends. Ben is the director of business development at development firm the Watts Group, and Kate is the human resources manager at Van Meter Inc. Together, they’ve built a life they love in Cedar Rapids. 

What do you love about your community? 
All of our family still lives here – that’s ultimately what keeps us here. We’re very family-oriented. We’ve built great relationships with many wonderful people in our community who have enriched our lives, too. 

How would you describe Cedar Rapids to someone coming there for the first time? 
It’s the second-largest city in Iowa, but it can feel like a small town. It’s very common to meet someone for the first time and find a connection with them; they know someone you know, which is really great because it makes building your network fun and easy. 

What is your favorite restaurant, and what does dinner for two cost? 
A few of our favorites are Tomaso’s Pizza on First Avenue NE because the ambiance is fun and the pizza is amazing. Dinner ranges from $25 for a pizza and up if you add additional pizzas, wings or drinks. Next, there are a handful of great Mexican restaurants in town, which again could cost you $25 for two meals or more depending on what you add on. We like Vino’s Ristorante for Italian and Siamville for Thai, which happen to be in the same strip mall. Both are probably $30 for two without extras. Brewhemia has delicious breakfast, lunch and coffee. It’s about $20 for two people. 

What are some free or low-cost recreation options in Cedar Rapids? 
Brucemore, a historic mansion, has beautiful grounds and gardens you can walk for free, or for a small price, you can take a tour of the mansion. The NewBo City Market often has free entertainment and events. There’s a farmer’s market downtown every other Saturday during the summer months. We have Jazz Under the Stars and other music events. Theatre Cedar Rapids is our community theater, and we have two great venues for music and entertainment – the Paramount Theatre and McGrath Amphitheatre. Also, the city has amazing golf courses, playgrounds and parks. 

What’s your go-to coffee shop, and what is your typical order? 
Kate’s favorite is Kismet Coffee & Bloom, and she’ll get an iced oat milk maple brown sugar latte. Brewhemia, Roasters, Feedwell Kitchen & Bakery, Stillwater Coffee, Craft’d, Dash and Coffee Republic are all other awesome local places to visit. 

– Writer Rebecca Treon contributed to this article.