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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,826 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $2,011 in Rome, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,541 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $3,101 in Rome, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,257 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $4,191 in Rome, rent included.

Dubuque, IA is about 9% cheaper than Rome, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Dubuque, IA and Rome sit above the global median – Dubuque, IA by 37%, Rome by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.65 $15.65

$17.11 €14.99

-8.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 $50.7

$75.0 €65.7

-32.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 $9.86

$11.62 €10.18

-15.15%

Cappuccino

$4.80 $4.80

$1.76 €1.54

172.73%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$2.41 €2.11

-16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.24 €1.08

-18.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 $3.01

$5.81 €5.09

-48.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$5.27 €4.62

-12.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.77 €1.55

-53.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.07 €1.81

14.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.00 €2.63

6.67%

Eggs

$2.77 $2.77

$4.57 €4.00

-39.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 $9.89

$17.73 €15.54

-44.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 $10.24

$11.70 €10.25

-12.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 $14.54

$20.26 €17.75

-28.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.34 €2.05

56.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.27 €1.99

-50.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.03 €1.78

79.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.70 €2.37

26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.78 €1.56

-1.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.94 €1.70

12.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.32 €1.15

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.56 €0.49

262.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 $8.71

$6.75 €5.92

29.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.39 $13.39

$3.98 €3.48

236.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.91 €1.67

-5.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.75 €2.41

-2.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.78 €1.56

-24.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.23 $45.23

$40.83 €35.77

10.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$5.18 €4.54

-46.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.58 €1.38

-1.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.72 $20.72

$34.20 €29.96

-39.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.00 €1.75

-58.00%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$29.0K €25.4K

4.12%

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

$21.8K $21.8K

$29.8K €26.1K

-26.71%

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

$181 $181

$217 €191

-16.87%

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

$47.50 $47.50

$11.10 €9.72

327.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.3 $64.3

$31.30 €27.43

105.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.95 $37.95

$62.9 €55.1

-39.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.11 €21.12

Cinema Ticket

$8.58 $8.58

$11.46 €10.04

-25.13%

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

$804 $804

$547 €479

47.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$10.6K €9,248

125.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.31 $43.31

$73.1 €64.0

-40.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.63 $35.63

$34.21 €29.97

4.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 $79.5

$84.8 €74.3

-6.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 $91.5

$123 €108

-25.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 $986

$1,354 €1,186

-27.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$752 $752

$863 €756

-12.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 $1,417

$2,651 €2,323

-46.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 $987

$1,596 €1,398

-38.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,701 $1,701

$8,672 €7,598

-80.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,716 $1,716

$3,415 €2,992

-49.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,826 $3,826

$1,941 €1,700

97.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

3.95

23.54%

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

Last update for Dubuque, IA: July 22, 2026

Last update for Rome: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Dubuque, IA versus $1,354 in Rome. 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 97% higher in Dubuque, IA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Dubuque, IA versus $75.0 in Rome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $332 – making Dubuque, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome costs about 10% more than Dubuque, IA, 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 $2,738 per month in Dubuque, IA and $3,017 in Rome. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Dubuque, IA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $804 per month in Dubuque, IA and $547 in Rome. 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 $1,826, than in Rome at $2,011. In Dubuque, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dubuque, IA costs $1,826 versus $2,011 in Rome. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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