Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubuque, IA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Dubuque, IA: $1,801 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $37,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

86

Cost of Living Index in Dubuque, IA
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Dubuque, IA Living Index
234

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Dubuque, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,801

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,906

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dubuque, IA and in New York, NY

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

A single person spends $1,801 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $4,906 in New York, NY, rent included.

Dubuque, IA $1,801
New York, NY $4,906

A couple spends around $2,569 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $7,273 in New York, NY, rent included.

Dubuque, IA $2,569
New York, NY $7,273

A family of three spends $3,337 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $9,641 in New York, NY, rent included.

Dubuque, IA $3,337
New York, NY $9,641

Dubuque, IA is about 63% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dubuque, IA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Dubuque, IA by 33%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.91 $13.91

$26.93 $26.93

-48.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.13 $49.13

$117 $117

-57.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 $12.11

$14.60 $14.60

-17.05%

Cappuccino

$4.94 $4.94

$6.54 $6.54

-24.46%

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

$1.96 $1.96

$3.86 $3.86

-49.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 $1.00

$2.95 $2.95

-66.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 $2.78

$8.08 $8.08

-65.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 $4.43

$9.85 $9.85

-55.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.31 $1.31

-41.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 $2.68

$4.97 $4.97

-46.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$7.70 $7.70

-63.12%

Eggs

$2.73 $2.73

$6.09 $6.09

-55.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.57 $14.57

$19.55 $19.55

-25.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.15 $10.15

$17.59 $17.59

-42.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.49 $10.49

$20.26 $20.26

-48.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$6.99 $6.99

-53.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.21 $2.21

-44.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$6.72 $6.72

-51.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$7.12 $7.12

-66.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$4.61 $4.61

-70.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$4.78 $4.78

-64.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.87 $2.87

-12.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.69 $2.69

-36.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.59 $8.59

$19.14 $19.14

-55.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.28 $13.28

$19.63 $19.63

-32.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.32 $3.32

-46.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$4.19 $4.19

-34.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 $3.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.13 $1.13

-24.78%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$34.5K $34.5K

-27.59%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.8K $25.8K

0.61%

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

$175 $175

$232 $232

-24.69%

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

$50.8 $50.8

$71.0 $71.0

-28.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 $50.7

$67.7 $67.7

-25.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 $37.91

$115 $115

-67.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$76.8 $76.8

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 $7.96

$22.41 $22.41

-64.48%

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

$1,471 $1,471

$3,606 $3,606

-59.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$68.7K $68.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 $55.8

$79.3 $79.3

-29.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.40 $34.40

$51.4 $51.4

-33.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 $86.3

$121 $121

-28.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 $89.5

$140 $140

-36.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$998 $998

$4,555 $4,555

-78.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 $800

$3,040 $3,040

-73.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 $1,472

$9,742 $9,742

-84.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 $1,204

$5,331 $5,331

-77.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,709 $1,709

$18.2K $18.2K

-90.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,768 $1,768

$6,685 $6,685

-73.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,697 $3,697

$5,096 $5,096

-27.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

6.89

-23.80%

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

Last update for Dubuque, IA: November 2, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dubuque, IA

$800 44.4%

New York, NY

$3K 62% 280% $2.2K

Groceries & Markets

Dubuque, IA

$310 17.2%

New York, NY

$567 11.6% 82.8% $257

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dubuque, IA

$276 15.4%

New York, NY

$371 7.6% 34.2% $95

Eating Out

Dubuque, IA

$242 13.4%

New York, NY

$425 8.7% 76% $184

Clothing & Footwear

Dubuque, IA

$120 6.6%

New York, NY

$176 3.6% 47.5% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Dubuque, IA

$54 3%

New York, NY

$160 3.3% 198% $106

Getting Around

Dubuque, IA

- * 0%

New York, NY

$165 3.4%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $998 in Dubuque, IA versus $4,555 in New York, NY. 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 38% higher in New York, NY, 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 $49 in Dubuque, IA versus $117 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $310 vs $567 – making Dubuque, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dubuque, IA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

13:05 1:05 PM

14:05 2:05 PM

1 h ahead of Dubuque, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

59,667

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Dubuque, IA New York, NY 1,380 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Dubuque, IA
New York, NY

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

Dubuque, IA vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 172% more than Dubuque, IA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,702 per month in Dubuque, IA and $7,358 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dubuque, IA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $998 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,801 in Dubuque, IA and $4,906 in New York, NY. That makes Dubuque, IA about 63% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,471 per month in Dubuque, IA and $3,606 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dubuque, IA, where all-in costs run around $1,801, than in New York, NY at $4,906. In Dubuque, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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