Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brest and Dubuque, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Brest: $1,397 a month against $1,731 in Dubuque, IA, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Dubuque, IA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

68

Cost of Living Index in Brest
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Brest Living Index
84

Cost of Living Index in Dubuque, IA
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Dubuque, IA Living Index

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Brest

🇫🇷 France

$1,397

/mo nomad

Dubuque, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,731

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brest and in Dubuque, IA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brest and in Dubuque, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,397 in Brest versus $1,731 in Dubuque, IA.

Brest $1,397
Dubuque, IA $1,731

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,166 in Brest versus $2,538 in Dubuque, IA.

Brest $2,166
Dubuque, IA $2,538

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,935 in Brest versus $3,345 in Dubuque, IA.

Brest $2,935
Dubuque, IA $3,345

Living in Brest costs roughly 19% less than in Dubuque, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brest 3% above, Dubuque, IA 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.59 €13.87

$13.85 $13.85

12.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.43 €39.52

$49.71 $49.71

-10.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €10.16

$11.80 $11.80

-3.22%

Cappuccino

$2.97 €2.64

$4.99 $4.99

-40.48%

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

$2.88 €2.56

$2.02 $2.02

42.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.82

$0.95 $0.95

114.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 €5.90

$3.01 $3.01

120.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.26 €4.68

$4.53 $4.53

16.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.03

$0.78 $0.78

48.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 €1.38

$2.71 $2.71

-42.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 €2.31

$2.82 $2.82

-7.80%

Eggs

$3.64 €3.24

$2.85 $2.85

27.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.85 €16.77

$14.05 $14.05

34.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.07 €8.95

$10.38 $10.38

-2.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.38 €12.79

$10.63 $10.63

35.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 €2.60

$3.32 $3.32

-11.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 €1.76

$1.21 $1.21

62.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.30

$3.26 $3.26

-20.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 €2.60

$2.45 $2.45

19.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 €1.47

$1.36 $1.36

21.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.81

$1.67 $1.67

22.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 €1.25

$2.42 $2.42

-42.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 €0.28

$1.79 $1.79

-82.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.23 €11.76

$8.70 $8.70

52.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.81 €6.06

$13.36 $13.36

-49.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 €2.36

$1.69 $1.69

57.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 €2.42

$2.82 $2.82

-3.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 €1.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.92 €35.51

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 €7.46

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 €2.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.99 €27.57

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 €1.88

$0.91 $0.91

132.97%

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

$36.9K €32.9K

$24.5K $24.5K

50.60%

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

$34.8K €30.9K

$25.0K $25.0K

39.00%

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

$143 €127

$176 $176

-19.06%

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

$28.03 €24.94

$52.0 $52.0

-46.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.24 €26.90

$50.7 $50.7

-40.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.17 €32.17

$36.87 $36.87

-1.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.00 €13.34

Cinema Ticket

$13.63 €12.12

$8.17 $8.17

66.83%

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

$220 €196

$812 $812

-72.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K €10.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 €61.2

$55.6 $55.6

23.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.40 €27.04

$35.65 $35.65

-14.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 €71.1

$86.1 $86.1

-7.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 €64.0

$88.7 $88.7

-18.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 €451

$985 $985

-48.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 €343

$725 $725

-46.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 €796

$1,476 $1,476

-39.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 €639

$1,201 $1,201

-40.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,782 €2,475

$1,732 $1,732

60.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,515 €2,237

$1,707 $1,707

47.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,657 €2,363

$3,768 $3,768

-29.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.82

5.25

-27.24%

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

Last update for Brest: October 19, 2026

Last update for Dubuque, IA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Brest

$386 27.6%

Dubuque, IA

$725 41.9% 87.8% $339

Groceries & Markets

Brest

$304 21.8%

Dubuque, IA

$312 18% 2.6% $7.8

Eating Out

Brest

$258 18.5%

Dubuque, IA

$242 14% 6.2% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Brest

$201 14.4%

Dubuque, IA

$279 16.1% 38.8% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Brest

$113 8.1%

Dubuque, IA

$120 6.9% 6% $6.8

Getting Around

Brest

$72 5.1%

Dubuque, IA

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Brest

$63 4.5%

Dubuque, IA

$53 3.1% 16.1% $10

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $507 in Brest and $985 in Dubuque, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubuque, IA pays 42% 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: $44.00 in Brest vs $50.0 in Dubuque, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $312 per month, with Brest cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇫🇷 Brest

🇺🇸 Dubuque, IA

🕒 Local time

04:34 4:34 AM

21:34 9:34 PM

7 h behind Brest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

139,619

59,667

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Brest Dubuque, IA 6,390 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Brest
Dubuque, IA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 24% 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, salaries run 42% lower in Dubuque, IA. 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: $507 in Brest versus $985 in Dubuque, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $220 in Brest versus $812 in Dubuque, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Brest – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $50.0 in Dubuque, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,397 in Brest versus $1,731 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 24% less than in Dubuque, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.