Young professional possibly relocating to Coralville area (Cedar Rapids, Iowa City: to rent, how much)

[steveklein]

I am considering a position in Coralville and am looking at Coralville/North Liberty/Iowa City to live.

A few questions:
- I am single, in my late 20s and from a metro area of about 1 million people. Will I be bored to death, or is there a decent amount of stuff to do? From what I have read, there is more to do than one might think, but it is still a pretty slow pace of life (which is okay). I considered Cedar Rapids since it is a much larger town but it seems like most people think the Iowa City area has a livelier scene for 20somethings (I'm guessing the University has a lot to do with that).

- How is the biking scene in the region? I'd love to be able to commute to work and do errands by cycling

- Are there any good, inexpensive gyms in the area? I'm not looking for a bunch of hot yoga classes, personal training, crossfit, etc. I just need a rack to do squats, deadlifts, pullups, bench press, etc. Would prefer to pay month to month but would be willing to sign on for a year if it was cheap and I have no other options. I have a home gym but might just rent a 1 bedroom and would not have room for it. I'd be willing to rent a 2 bedroom if there are no good options for gyms in the area.

- How much can I expect a 900-1000 square foot place to cost to heat in the winter. Iowa would be by far the coldest place I have ever lived and don't really know what to expect in terms of utility costs.

- How is internet service? I know it seems strange, but this is important to me. I need a reliable 10mbit+ connection to survive. How are the providers and how expensive are they?

- Bars? Nightclubs? I am assuming this is university dominated? Are there watering holes for people my age that are a little too old to mingle with undergrads, but not old enough to be pounding scotch reminiscing about the good old days when politicians were still honest?

- Do ridesharing services like Uber/Lyft operate in the area?

- Schools are of no concern to me since I don't have children... and I won't be working at the university so am I better off saving a few dollars and living in North Liberty or Coralville? It seems like I can get more for the money there because proximity to campus is not an issue for me. The job I am considering is near the University of Iowa Research Park, just north of I-80.

[lurtsman]

1. Possibly bored to death. I certainly found it boring.
2. People love biking.
3. I don't recall, my wife wrote the check for the utility bills.
4. Crap, you get mediacom in most places. Their corporate employees will hate you (just try calling) and it is massively over priced. Since I left I'm getting 4x the speed for 1/2 the price. (Not joking)
5. Yes to university dominated. If bars are your thing, you'll find plenty of people that want to get drunk.
6. LOL. I haven't been there in a couple years but that really sounds like a more metro idea.
7. Yes, North Liberty is substantially cheaper. It is a bedroom community. It is still over priced relative to 95% of the Midwest, but cheaper than IC by a significant margin.