CostIndexUSA

Cedar Rapids, IA vs Columbus, GA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostIA
Cedar Rapids
89
overall index
$1,100/mo rent
GA
Columbus
89.3
overall index
$1,250/mo rent

Cedar Rapids and Columbus have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing14.3%
Cedar Rapids
71.4
Columbus
61.2
🛒 Groceries+2.8%
Cedar Rapids
93.7
Columbus
96.3
🚗 Transportation+6.0%
Cedar Rapids
97.6
Columbus
103.5
🏥 Healthcare+6.0%
Cedar Rapids
88.3
Columbus
93.6
Utilities+6.8%
Cedar Rapids
84
Columbus
89.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Cedar Rapids to see what you'd need to earn in Columbus to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Columbus, GA
$80,300
$300 more needed in Columbus

Formula: salary × (89.3 ÷ 89) = salary × 1.0034. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Cedar Rapids, IA

Median Home Price
$230,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,100
Housing Index
71.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.4×

Columbus, GA

Median Home Price
$200,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,250
Housing Index
61.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.3×

Cedar Rapids has 14.3% lower housing costs compared to Columbus.

Income & Job Market

Cedar Rapids, IA

Median Household Income
$73,600
Per Capita Income
$42,000
Unemployment Rate
2.9%
Population
133,562
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareFinanceTechnologyAgriculture

Columbus, GA

Median Household Income
$54,700
Per Capita Income
$31,200
Unemployment Rate
5.3%
Population
206,922
Top Industries
MilitaryHealthcareManufacturingGovernmentRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Cedar Rapids, IA
5.6×income-to-rent ratio

82% of income left after rent (median)

Columbus, GA
3.6×income-to-rent ratio

73% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.