Cost of Living Comparison Between Aachen and Des Moines, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Aachen and Des Moines, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,007 per month in Aachen vs $2,037 in Des Moines, IA, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,019 per month in Aachen vs $3,079 in Des Moines, IA, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,032 per month in Aachen vs $4,122 in Des Moines, IA, rent included.

Aachen is about 1% cheaper than Des Moines, IA, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Aachen and Des Moines, IA sit above the global median – Aachen by 50%, Des Moines, IA by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.96 €13.85

$15.78 $15.78

1.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 €69.0

$80.3 $80.3

-0.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 €9.95

$12.14 $12.14

-5.52%

Cappuccino

$3.98 €3.45

$4.83 $4.83

-17.60%

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

$3.23 €2.81

$2.32 $2.32

39.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 €2.55

$1.92 $1.92

53.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.17 €4.49

$5.02 $5.02

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.13

$7.13 $7.13

-33.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.10

$0.97 $0.97

29.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.94

$2.55 $2.55

-12.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 €2.98

$2.24 $2.24

53.12%

Eggs

$3.68 €3.19

$3.53 $3.53

4.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.57 €12.64

$12.58 $12.58

15.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.05 €12.19

$10.56 $10.56

33.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.46 €16.88

$13.13 $13.13

48.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 €2.79

$4.35 $4.35

-25.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 €1.55

$1.50 $1.50

18.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 €1.93

$3.77 $3.77

-40.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 €3.87

$3.56 $3.56

25.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.61 $1.61

-3.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 €1.49

$3.03 $3.03

-43.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 €1.58

$2.24 $2.24

-18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.81

$1.12 $1.12

-16.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.76 €8.47

$7.28 $7.28

34.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.17 €6.22

$15.29 $15.29

-53.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.77 $1.77

-40.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.42

$3.97 $3.97

-58.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.37 €2.92

$1.72 $1.72

95.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 €50.1

$58.1 $58.1

-0.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 €4.94

$2.04 $2.04

178.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 €2.01

$1.27 $1.27

82.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.05 €14.79

$19.89 $19.89

-14.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 €1.72

$0.77 $0.77

157.14%

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

$32.0K €27.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

23.02%

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

$38.2K €33.1K

$24.8K $24.8K

53.95%

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

$364 €316

$143 $143

154.54%

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

$19.75 €17.14

$51.9 $51.9

-61.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 €45.50

$53.3 $53.3

-1.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.57 €30.86

$67.9 $67.9

-47.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.94 €19.04

$20.05 $20.05

9.43%

Cinema Ticket

$16.31 €14.15

$15.11 $15.11

7.94%

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

$403 €350

$1,371 $1,371

-70.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K €19.8K

$11.8K $11.8K

92.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €95.7

$53.5 $53.5

106.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.82 €38.88

$42.62 $42.62

5.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 €72.5

$73.3 $73.3

14.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 €118

$128 $128

6.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 €707

$1,247 $1,247

-34.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 €519

$914 $914

-34.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 €1,257

$1,729 $1,729

-16.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 €1,011

$1,484 $1,484

-21.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,686 €4,066

$2,304 $2,304

103.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,651 €3,168

$2,327 $2,327

56.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,586 €3,112

$3,631 $3,631

-1.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.97

6.5

-38.92%

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

Last update for Aachen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $815 in Aachen versus $1,247 in Des Moines, IA. 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 1% higher in Des Moines, 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 $80.0 in Aachen versus $80.0 in Des Moines, IA. Groceries tell a different story – $343 in Aachen vs $332 in Des Moines, IA – so Des Moines, IA 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

Aachen vs Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,007 in Aachen, $2,037 in Des Moines, IA – roughly 1% apart. Des Moines, IA costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,010 per month in Aachen and $3,055 in Des Moines, IA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Aachen and $80.0 in Des Moines, IA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,007 in Aachen and $2,037 in Des Moines, IA. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Aachen, where all-in costs run around $2,007, than in Des Moines, IA at $2,037. In Aachen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Des Moines, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aachen – 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 Aachen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Des Moines, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.