Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubuque, IA and Santiago

For one person, living is cheaper in Santiago: $1,183 a month against $1,731 in Dubuque, IA, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

84

Cost of Living Index in Dubuque, IA
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Dubuque, IA Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Santiago
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Santiago Living Index

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Dubuque, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,731

/mo nomad

Santiago

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,183

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Santiago actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,731 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $1,183 in Santiago, rent included.

Dubuque, IA $1,731
Santiago $1,183

A couple spends around $2,538 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $1,882 in Santiago, rent included.

Dubuque, IA $2,538
Santiago $1,882

A family of three spends $3,345 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $2,581 in Santiago, rent included.

Dubuque, IA $3,345
Santiago $2,581

Dubuque, IA costs about 46% more than Santiago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Dubuque, IA sits 28% above the global median, while Santiago is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.85 $13.85

$10.15 CLP 9,995

36.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.71 $49.71

$51.9 CLP 51.1K

-4.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$8.56 CLP 8,423

37.85%

Cappuccino

$4.99 $4.99

$3.15 CLP 3,101

58.41%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$1.71 CLP 1,685

18.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.28 CLP 1,255

-25.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 $3.01

$4.18 CLP 4,118

-27.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.46 CLP 4,390

1.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.29 CLP 1,269

-39.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.76 CLP 1,737

53.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.66 CLP 1,630

69.88%

Eggs

$2.85 $2.85

$4.21 CLP 4,140

-32.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 $14.05

$11.08 CLP 10.9K

26.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 $10.38

$6.75 CLP 6,641

53.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.63 $10.63

$10.76 CLP 10.6K

-1.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.96 CLP 1,927

69.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.54 CLP 1,518

-21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.58 CLP 1,560

106.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.74 CLP 1,713

40.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.09 CLP 1,075

24.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.53 CLP 1,509

9.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.18 CLP 1,163

105.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.08 CLP 1,060

65.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.70 $8.70

$5.18 CLP 5,101

67.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.36 $13.36

$6.17 CLP 6,070

116.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.53 CLP 1,511

10.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.36 CLP 2,325

19.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 CLP 824

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.44 CLP 40.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 CLP 416

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 CLP 869

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.49 CLP 11.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.49 CLP 1,462

-38.93%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$17.2K CLP 17.0M

42.25%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$25.6K CLP 25.2M

-2.24%

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

$176 $176

$149 CLP 146.3K

18.61%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$12.11 CLP 11.9K

329.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 $50.7

$19.13 CLP 18.8K

165.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 $36.87

$33.30 CLP 32.8K

10.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.51 CLP 11.3K

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 $8.17

$7.32 CLP 7,208

11.61%

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

$812 $812

$436 CLP 429.2K

86.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CLP 10.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 $55.6

$49.17 CLP 48.4K

13.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.65 $35.65

$29.11 CLP 28.7K

22.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 $86.1

$65.5 CLP 64.5K

31.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 $88.7

$80.1 CLP 78.9K

10.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 $985

$554 CLP 545.8K

77.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 $725

$383 CLP 376.6K

89.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 $1,476

$1,002 CLP 986.5K

47.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 $1,201

$775 CLP 762.5K

55.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,732 $1,732

$2,708 CLP 2.7M

-36.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 $1,707

$2,613 CLP 2.6M

-34.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,768 $3,768

$778 CLP 766.3K

384.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.39

-2.60%

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

Last update for Dubuque, IA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Santiago: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dubuque, IA

$725 41.9%

Santiago

$383 32.3% 47.2% $342

Groceries & Markets

Dubuque, IA

$312 18%

Santiago

$236 20% 24.4% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dubuque, IA

$279 16.1%

Santiago

$180 15.2% 35.5% $99

Eating Out

Dubuque, IA

$242 14%

Santiago

$186 15.8% 23% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Dubuque, IA

$120 6.9%

Santiago

$101 8.5% 15.8% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Dubuque, IA

$53 3.1%

Santiago

$48 4.1% 9.9% $5.3

Getting Around

Dubuque, IA

- * 0%

Santiago

$50 4.2%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Dubuque, IA versus $554 in Santiago. 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 384% 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 $52.0 in Santiago. Groceries tell a different story – $312 in Dubuque, IA vs $236 in Santiago – so Santiago wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dubuque, IA

🇨🇱 Santiago

🕒 Local time

22:15 10:15 PM

00:15 12:15 AM

2 h ahead of Dubuque, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

59,667

6,139,087 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇱 Chilean Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

CLP to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Dubuque, IA Santiago 8,690 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Dubuque, IA
Santiago

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 Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dubuque, IA costs about 46% more than Santiago, 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 $2,596 per month in Dubuque, IA and $1,775 in Santiago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santiago, 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 $1,731 in Dubuque, IA and $1,183 in Santiago. That's a gap of about 46%.

Kindergarten costs $812 per month in Dubuque, IA and $436 in Santiago. 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 Santiago, where all-in costs run around $1,183, than in Dubuque, IA at $1,731. In Santiago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubuque, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santiago – 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 Santiago. 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.