Cost of Living Comparison Between Brest and Dubuque, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Brest and Dubuque, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,471 in Brest versus $1,813 in Dubuque, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Brest versus $2,555 in Dubuque, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,097 in Brest versus $3,297 in Dubuque, IA.

Living in Brest costs roughly 19% less than in Dubuque, IA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brest 10% above, Dubuque, IA 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 €13.58

$15.69 $15.69

1.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 €44.95

$50.5 $50.5

4.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 €9.35

$10.09 $10.09

8.62%

Cappuccino

$3.40 €2.90

$4.60 $4.60

-26.09%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.10

$1.97 $1.97

24.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 €1.55

$1.03 $1.03

76.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.72 €5.73

$2.92 $2.92

130.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 €4.52

$4.60 $4.60

15.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €0.99

$0.77 $0.77

50.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.54

$2.34 $2.34

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 €1.73

$3.11 $3.11

-34.73%

Eggs

$3.80 €3.24

$2.79 $2.79

36.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.44 €15.73

$9.77 $9.77

88.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.79 €11.76

$9.99 $9.99

38.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 €11.18

$14.10 $14.10

-7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.41

$3.67 $3.67

-22.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.76

$1.16 $1.16

77.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 €3.54

$3.56 $3.56

16.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 €2.81

$3.34 $3.34

-1.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.62

$1.81 $1.81

4.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 €2.01

$2.09 $2.09

12.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.87 $1.87

-26.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 €0.32

$1.97 $1.97

-81.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.86 €10.97

$8.24 $8.24

56.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.21 €6.15

$13.31 $13.31

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.57 €3.05

$1.81 $1.81

97.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 €2.61

$2.82 $2.82

8.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 €1.71

$1.32 $1.32

52.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.90 €41.71

$44.21 $44.21

10.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 €4.97

$2.88 $2.88

102.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 €1.56

$1.64 $1.64

11.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.97 €27.27

$20.64 $20.64

54.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$0.81 $0.81

158.02%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.5K €31.1K

$29.9K $29.9K

21.89%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.9K €28.1K

$22.5K $22.5K

46.28%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$180 €153

$183 $183

-1.59%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.07 €19.68

$48.28 $48.28

-52.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.60 €21.83

$63.8 $63.8

-59.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.17 €31.71

$38.22 $38.22

-2.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.21 €20.65

Cinema Ticket

$14.44 €12.32

$8.58 $8.58

68.30%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$229 €195

$787 $787

-70.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.2K

$23.8K $23.8K

-49.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 €49.45

$42.57 $42.57

36.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.28 €37.77

$35.34 $35.34

25.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 €61.2

$79.5 $79.5

-9.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 €77.9

$91.3 $91.3

-0.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 €447

$963 $963

-45.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$404 €344

$750 $750

-46.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 €731

$1,408 $1,408

-39.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 €634

$966 $966

-23.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,833 €2,416

$1,749 $1,749

62.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,525 €2,154

$1,740 $1,740

45.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,566 €2,189

$4,664 $4,664

-44.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.62

4.88

-25.82%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Brest: April 22, 2026

Last update for Dubuque, IA: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $524 in Brest and $963 in Dubuque, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubuque, IA pays 82% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53 in Brest vs $50 in Dubuque, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 vs $315 per month, with Dubuque, IA cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Brest vs Dubuque, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brest wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Dubuque, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brest the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Dubuque, IA earns 82% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $524 in Brest versus $963 in Dubuque, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brest – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $50.0 in Dubuque, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,471 per month in Brest versus $1,813 in Dubuque, IA – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,471 in Brest versus $1,813 in Dubuque, IA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Brest but tight or insufficient in Dubuque, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Brest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Brest and Dubuque, IA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Brest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Dubuque, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.