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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,826 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $1,819 in Split, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,541 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $2,802 in Split, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,257 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $3,784 in Split, rent included.

Dubuque, IA and Split have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Dubuque, IA and Split sit above the global median – Dubuque, IA by 37%, Split by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.65 $15.65

$17.07 €14.96

-8.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 $50.7

$81.3 €71.2

-37.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 $9.86

$9.17 €8.04

7.52%

Cappuccino

$4.80 $4.80

$2.92 €2.56

64.38%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$3.42 €2.99

-40.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.81 €2.46

-64.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 $3.01

$5.39 €4.72

-44.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.78 €4.19

-3.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.37 €1.20

-40.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.86 €1.63

27.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.70 €3.24

-13.51%

Eggs

$2.77 $2.77

$3.81 €3.33

-27.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 $9.89

$12.80 €11.21

-22.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 $10.24

$9.53 €8.35

7.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 $14.54

$13.65 €11.96

6.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$1.87 €1.64

96.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.87 €1.64

-40.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.28 €2.00

59.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.27 €1.98

50.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.52 €1.33

15.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.37 €1.20

59.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.48 €1.30

32.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.30 €1.14

56.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 $8.71

$5.96 €5.22

46.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.39 $13.39

$9.23 €8.08

45.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.77 €1.55

2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.35 €2.06

13.62%

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

$39.03 €34.19

15.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.55 €3.11

-21.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$2.10 €1.84

-25.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.72 $20.72

$9.36 €8.20

121.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.77 €1.55

-52.54%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$37.6K €33.0K

-19.77%

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

$21.8K $21.8K

$25.7K €22.6K

-15.26%

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

$181 $181

$212 €186

-14.75%

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

$47.50 $47.50

$23.48 €20.57

102.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.3 $64.3

$35.18 €30.82

82.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.95 $37.95

$59.7 €52.3

-36.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 €12.70

Cinema Ticket

$8.58 $8.58

$9.20 €8.06

-6.74%

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

$804 $804

$190 €167

322.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$9,168 €8,032

159.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.31 $43.31

$84.1 €73.7

-48.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.63 $35.63

$40.31 €35.32

-11.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 $79.5

$108 €94.4

-26.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 $91.5

$107 €93.6

-14.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 $986

$969 €849

1.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$752 $752

$695 €609

8.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 $1,417

$1,837 €1,610

-22.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 $987

$1,243 €1,089

-20.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,701 $1,701

$7,250 €6,352

-76.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,716 $1,716

$5,027 €4,404

-65.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,826 $3,826

$1,634 €1,432

134.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

4.27

14.29%

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

Last update for Dubuque, IA: July 22, 2026

Last update for Split: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Dubuque, IA versus $969 in Split. 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 134% higher in Dubuque, IA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Dubuque, IA versus $81.0 in Split. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Dubuque, IA vs $291 in Split – so Split 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 Split: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,738 per month in Dubuque, IA and $2,728 in Split. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 10% more in Dubuque, IA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $804 per month in Dubuque, IA and $190 in Split. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Split, where all-in costs run around $1,819, than in Dubuque, IA at $1,826. In Split it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubuque, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Split costs $1,819 versus $1,826 in Dubuque, IA. 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 Split. 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.