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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $1,585 in Lodi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,653 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $2,564 in Lodi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,513 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $3,543 in Lodi, rent included.

Dubuque, IA costs about 13% more than Lodi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Dubuque, IA and Lodi sit above the global median – Dubuque, IA by 31%, Lodi by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.30 $16.30

$15.99 €13.76

1.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 $50.1

$76.9 €66.2

-34.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 $9.95

$11.85 €10.20

-16.03%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$1.90 €1.64

164.21%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$3.49 €3.01

-41.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.40 €1.20

-27.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 $2.96

$5.86 €5.04

-49.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 $4.58

$5.89 €5.06

-22.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.48 €1.27

-45.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.15 €1.85

26.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.27 €1.95

50.66%

Eggs

$2.78 $2.78

$2.42 €2.08

14.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 $10.14

$15.31 €13.17

-33.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 $10.42

$11.84 €10.19

-11.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 $15.22

$17.19 €14.79

-11.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.37 €2.04

42.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.81 €1.56

-32.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.35 €2.02

41.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.63 €2.26

-9.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.85 €1.59

-24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.31 €1.99

-29.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.86 €1.60

25.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.37 €0.32

381.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.05 $9.05

$6.44 €5.54

40.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.46 $13.46

$4.45 €3.83

202.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.24 €1.07

62.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.90 €1.63

41.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.39 €35.62

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 $2.75

$4.12 €3.54

-33.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.19 €1.03

32.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.81 $20.81

$28.95 €24.91

-28.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.06 €1.77

-56.80%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$30.2K €26.0K

18.19%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$30.0K €25.8K

-14.61%

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

$204 $204

$202 €174

0.91%

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

$67.9 $67.9

$9.10 €7.83

646.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$29.30 €25.21

125.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.36 $37.36

$66.5 €57.3

-43.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.16 €22.51

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 $7.88

$11.56 €9.95

-31.83%

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

$784 $784

$570 €491

37.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$7,505 €6,458

225.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$76.8 €66.1

-28.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.33 $35.33

$33.28 €28.64

6.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 $88.2

$90.8 €78.2

-2.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.7 $90.7

$104 €89.7

-12.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 $1,006

$573 €493

75.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 $723

$495 €426

46.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 $1,456

$1,259 €1,083

15.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 $1,190

$1,073 €924

10.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,754 $1,754

$3,312 €2,850

-47.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,691 $1,691

$2,553 €2,197

-33.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,766 $3,766

$2,306 €1,985

63.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

3.06

71.57%

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

Last update for Dubuque, IA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lodi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Dubuque, IA versus $573 in Lodi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 63% higher in Dubuque, IA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Dubuque, IA versus $77.0 in Lodi. Groceries tell a different story – $318 in Dubuque, IA vs $298 in Lodi – so Lodi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Lodi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dubuque, IA costs about 13% more than Lodi, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,690 per month in Dubuque, IA and $2,377 in Lodi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lodi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,794 in Dubuque, IA and $1,585 in Lodi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Dubuque, IA and $570 in Lodi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lodi, where all-in costs run around $1,585, than in Dubuque, IA at $1,794. In Lodi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubuque, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lodi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lodi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dubuque, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.