Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubuque, IA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Dubuque, IA: $1,731 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $24,600 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
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Dubuque, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,731

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dubuque, IA and in Seattle, WA

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

A single person spends $1,731 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Dubuque, IA $1,731
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $2,538 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Dubuque, IA $2,538
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $3,345 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Dubuque, IA $3,345
Seattle, WA $7,489

Dubuque, IA is about 54% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dubuque, IA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Dubuque, IA by 28%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.85 $13.85

$24.52 $24.52

-43.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.71 $49.71

$98.2 $98.2

-49.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$14.79 $14.79

-20.22%

Cappuccino

$4.99 $4.99

$6.52 $6.52

-23.47%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$3.23 $3.23

-37.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 $0.95

$3.17 $3.17

-70.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 $3.01

$7.85 $7.85

-61.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 $4.53

$8.03 $8.03

-43.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.21 $1.21

-35.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 $2.71

$5.14 $5.14

-47.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$6.05 $6.05

-53.39%

Eggs

$2.85 $2.85

$4.88 $4.88

-41.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 $14.05

$19.18 $19.18

-26.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 $10.38

$18.91 $18.91

-45.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.63 $10.63

$23.31 $23.31

-54.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$5.99 $5.99

-44.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.93 $1.93

-37.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$5.25 $5.25

-37.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$6.57 $6.57

-62.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$3.62 $3.62

-62.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$3.31 $3.31

-49.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.78 $2.78

-12.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.51 $2.51

-28.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.70 $8.70

$12.18 $12.18

-28.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.36 $13.36

$14.83 $14.83

-9.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$4.22 $4.22

-59.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$5.77 $5.77

-51.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.49 $1.49

-38.93%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$35.9K $35.9K

-31.66%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.2K $26.2K

-4.63%

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

$176 $176

$302 $302

-41.61%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$70.1 $70.1

-25.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 $50.7

$85.3 $85.3

-40.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 $36.87

$77.8 $77.8

-52.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 $8.17

$17.84 $17.84

-54.20%

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

$812 $812

$2,973 $2,973

-72.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 $55.6

$76.6 $76.6

-27.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.65 $35.65

$54.1 $54.1

-34.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 $86.1

$128 $128

-32.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 $88.7

$164 $164

-45.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 $985

$2,445 $2,445

-59.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 $725

$1,947 $1,947

-62.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 $1,476

$4,744 $4,744

-68.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 $1,201

$3,469 $3,469

-65.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,732 $1,732

$7,367 $7,367

-76.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 $1,707

$5,127 $5,127

-66.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,768 $3,768

$6,506 $6,506

-42.08%

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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dubuque, IA

$725 41.9%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 169% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Dubuque, IA

$312 18%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 74.8% $234

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dubuque, IA

$279 16.1%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 63.9% $178

Eating Out

Dubuque, IA

$242 14%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 65.1% $158

Clothing & Footwear

Dubuque, IA

$120 6.9%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 59% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Dubuque, IA

$53 3.1%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 113% $60

Getting Around

Dubuque, IA

- * 0%

Seattle, WA

$129 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 $985 in Dubuque, IA versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. 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 73% higher in Seattle, WA, 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 $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $546 – making Dubuque, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dubuque, IA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

21:34 9:34 PM

19:34 7:34 PM

2 h behind Dubuque, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

59,667

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Dubuque, IA Seattle, WA 2,530 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Dubuque, IA
Seattle, WA

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 Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 119% 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 $2,596 per month in Dubuque, IA and $5,673 in Seattle, WA. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,731 in Dubuque, IA and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 119%.

Kindergarten costs $812 per month in Dubuque, IA and $2,973 in Seattle, WA. 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 $1,731, than in Seattle, WA at $3,782. In Dubuque, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seattle, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dubuque, IA costs $1,731 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. 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, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.