Cost of Living: Dubuque, IA vs Des Moines, IA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,184/mo in Dubuque, IA versus $4,184/mo in Des Moines, IA. In the model, rent is about 13.75% of gross in Dubuque, IA versus 15.36% in Des Moines, IA, so Dubuque, IA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Dubuque, IA
$4,184/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Des Moines, IA
$4,184/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Dubuque, IA
13.75%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Des Moines, IA
15.36%
COLI tier: lower-cost

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Dubuque, IA and Des Moines, IA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Des Moines, IA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Dubuque, IA
  • Lower home prices: Des Moines, IA
  • Higher median household income: Dubuque, IA

Cost of Living Index

Dubuque, IA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Des Moines, IA: 87.6 (U.S. = 100)

Des Moines, IA has a lower cost-of-living index than Dubuque, IA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Dubuque, IA: $896/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Des Moines, IA: $1,002/mo

Median rent in Des Moines, IA is $106/mo higher than in Dubuque, IA.

Median Home Price

Dubuque, IA: $193,100 · Des Moines, IA: $183,700

Median home price in Dubuque, IA is $9,400 higher than in Des Moines, IA.

Median Household Income

Dubuque, IA: $64,985 · Des Moines, IA: $63,966

Dubuque, IA has a higher median household income than Des Moines, IA by $1,019.

Dubuque, IA overview · Des Moines, IA overview · Popular comparisons