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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,824 in Dubuque, IA versus $1,473 in Brest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,538 in Dubuque, IA versus $2,331 in Brest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Dubuque, IA versus $3,190 in Brest.

Living in Dubuque, IA is roughly 24% more expensive than Brest, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubuque, IA 36% above, Brest 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.57 $15.57

$15.89 €13.79

-2.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.67 $49.67

$51.7 €44.89

-4.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 $9.90

$11.02 €9.56

-10.16%

Cappuccino

$4.74 $4.74

$3.31 €2.87

43.20%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$2.43 €2.11

-15.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.86 €1.61

-44.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 $3.07

$6.74 €5.85

-54.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.27 €4.57

-15.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.15 €1.00

-26.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.73 €1.50

38.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.04 €1.77

53.92%

Eggs

$2.76 $2.76

$3.79 €3.28

-27.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 $9.95

$18.43 €15.99

-46.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 $10.23

$13.33 €11.56

-23.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 $14.08

$13.50 €11.71

4.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.77 €2.40

28.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$2.07 €1.79

-43.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$4.14 €3.59

-11.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.46 €3.00

-2.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.89 €1.64

-7.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.36 €2.05

-6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.43 €1.24

37.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.41 €0.35

397.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.31 $8.31

$12.91 €11.20

-35.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.27 $13.27

$7.18 €6.23

84.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.57 €3.10

-46.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$3.13 €2.71

-13.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.92 €1.66

-28.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.25 $44.25

$49.17 €42.66

-10.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 $2.88

$5.81 €5.04

-50.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.81 €1.57

-12.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.22 $21.22

$32.32 €28.04

-34.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$2.00 €1.74

-57.50%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$36.9K €32.0K

-19.43%

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

$22.3K $22.3K

$33.4K €29.0K

-33.16%

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

$184 $184

$179 €155

2.91%

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

$48.46 $48.46

$23.00 €19.95

110.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$25.37 €22.01

146.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.93 $37.93

$37.11 €32.20

2.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.46 €20.36

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 $8.59

$14.06 €12.20

-38.90%

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

$796 $796

$228 €198

249.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$11.7K €10.1K

104.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.57 $42.57

$57.6 €49.99

-26.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.54 $34.54

$43.30 €37.56

-20.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 $78.7

$72.8 €63.2

8.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 $90.4

$91.8 €79.7

-1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 $957

$535 €464

78.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 $742

$408 €354

81.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 $1,388

$861 €747

61.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 $987

$750 €651

31.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 $1,691

$2,843 €2,466

-40.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,713 $1,713

$2,544 €2,207

-32.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,717 $3,717

$2,567 €2,227

44.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

3.62

34.81%

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

Last update for Dubuque, IA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Brest: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Dubuque, IA and $535 in Brest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubuque, IA pays 45% 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: $50.0 in Dubuque, IA vs $52.0 in Brest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $334 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

Dubuque, IA vs Brest: 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.

Dubuque, IA pays 45% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $957 in Dubuque, IA versus $535 in Brest. 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 $52.0 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 $1,824 per month in Dubuque, IA versus $1,473 in Brest – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,473 in Brest versus $1,824 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, Dubuque, IA and Brest 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.