

Burlington vs Dubuque
$874/mo more in Dubuque
BurlingtonDubuqueAbout 904 miles apart, a flight.
- Dubuque leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- Real winters
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,987/mo in Dubuque. $2,113/mo in Burlington. +$10,488 a year.
Burlington
$2,113
left each month
Dubuque
$2,987
+$874 vs Burlington
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
+$874 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Burlington | Dubuque | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,833 | $7,216 | −$617 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,979 | $1,669 | −$310 |
| Take-home pay | $5,854 | $5,548 | −$307 |
| Rent | $1,795 | $806 | −$989 |
| Getting around | $484 | $496 | +$12 |
| Groceries | $403 | $347 | −$56 |
| Healthcare | $454 | $391 | −$63 |
| Utilities | $252 | $217 | −$35 |
| Everything else | $353 | $304 | −$49 |
| Left over | $2,113 | $2,987 | +$874 |
Salary to match Burlington
$71,000
Gross pay in Dubuque that leaves the same amount as $94,000 in Burlington.
Tax difference
+$1,531
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.3% in Burlington, 23.1% in Dubuque.
More about Dubuque
Burlington, VT in full
State income tax topping out at 8.75%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $2,137 and 158 sunny days; commutes average 23 minutes.
Dubuque, IA in full
A flat 3.8% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $959 and 204 sunny days; commutes average 17 minutes.
The other way
Start in Dubuque.
Dubuque → Burlington →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Dubuque than Burlington?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Dubuque leaves about $874 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,795 in Burlington and $806 in Dubuque.
Does Dubuque have state income tax?
Dubuque is in Iowa, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Burlington to Dubuque?
The paycheck is taxed in Iowa. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Burlington and Dubuque changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.