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

😐 Solo nomad: Des Moines, IA is 11.3% more expensive than Aachen without rent, and 8.6% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Des Moines, IA is 5.7% more expensive than Aachen without rent, and 1.4% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.83 $15.83

$15.95 €13.77

-0.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 $79.4

$82.5 €71.2

-3.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$11.61 €10.02

4.82%

Cappuccino

$4.78 $4.78

$4.04 €3.49

18.32%

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

$2.32 $2.32

$3.29 €2.84

-29.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.06 €2.64

-36.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$5.22 €4.51

-6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$4.72 €4.08

47.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.25 €1.08

-22.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.26 €1.95

13.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.36 €2.9

-32.74%

Eggs

$3.72 $3.72

$3.6 €3.11

3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 $12.89

$14.63 €12.63

-11.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 $10.58

$14.16 €12.22

-25.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.82 $12.82

$19.86 €17.15

-35.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.25 €2.81

33.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.77 €1.53

-18.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.25 €1.94

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$4.49 €3.88

-19.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.62 €1.4

2.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.72 €1.49

72.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.85 €1.6

23.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.99 €0.85

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 $7.17

$9.22 €7.96

-22.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.95 $13.95

$6.85 €5.91

103.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.05 €0.9

69.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.6 €1.38

156.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.7 $1.7

$3.4 €2.94

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57 $57

$58.7 €50.7

-2.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 $1.94

$5.64 €4.87

-65.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.33 €2.01

-47.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.71 $19.71

$17.55 €15.15

12.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$2.06 €1.78

-60.68%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$31.9K €27.5K

-19.41%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$39.2K €33.8K

-36.56%

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

$145 $145

$366 €316

-60.35%

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

$52.1 $52.1

$19.74 €17.05

163.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 $54.2

$52.8 €45.62

2.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.1 $66.1

$35.2 €30.39

87.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.16 $20.16

$22.17 €19.14

-9.07%

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 $15.29

$16.39 €14.15

-6.71%

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

$1,380 $1,380

$396 €342

248.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12K $12K

$23.3K €20.1K

-48.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53 $53

$112 €96.4

-52.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.04 $42.04

$45.93 €39.66

-8.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74 $74

$83 €71.7

-10.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$133 €115

-5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 $1,226

$831 €718

47.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$896 $896

$603 €520

48.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 $1,740

$1,465 €1,265

18.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 $1,494

$1,158 €999

29.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,284 $2,284

$6,209 €5,361

-63.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,291 $2,291

$4,645 €4,011

-50.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,655 $3,655

$3,363 €2,904

8.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

3.97

63.73%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 28, 2025

Last update for Aachen: October 29, 2025

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