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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,078 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,094 in Des Moines, IA versus $3,289 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,110 in Des Moines, IA versus $4,369 in Lisbon.

Living in Des Moines, IA costs roughly 6% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Moines, IA 56% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.68 $15.68

$15.71 €13.76

-0.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 $79.2

$62.9 €55.1

25.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$10.53 €9.23

15.29%

Cappuccino

$4.89 $4.89

$2.88 €2.53

69.79%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$2.25 €1.97

6.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.56 €1.36

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.39 €2.97

48.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$3.90 €3.41

81.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.08 €0.95

-9.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.73 €1.51

45.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.76 €1.54

22.16%

Eggs

$3.70 $3.70

$3.16 €2.77

17.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.62 $12.62

$13.29 €11.64

-5.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 $10.35

$7.87 €6.89

31.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$15.84 €13.88

-17.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.40 €2.11

91.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.70 €1.49

-12.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.03 €1.78

82.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.52 €2.21

36.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.86 €1.63

-13.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.06 €1.81

49.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.00 €1.75

11.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.78 €0.68

44.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.65 €5.82

4.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$5.78 €5.06

162.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.38 €1.21

23.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.02 €2.64

32.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.33 €2.04

-22.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.4 $58.4

$45.45 €39.82

28.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$4.08 €3.57

-50.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.80 €0.70

52.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 $19.78

$18.65 €16.34

6.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$2.00 €1.75

-61.50%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$35.4K €31.0K

-25.30%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$39.1K €34.2K

-36.92%

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

$143 $143

$150 €132

-4.91%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$20.55 €18.01

154.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 $53.4

$39.45 €34.56

35.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.1 $66.1

$48.06 €42.11

37.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.75 $19.75

$18.70 €16.38

5.61%

Cinema Ticket

$15.07 $15.07

$9.30 €8.15

62.04%

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

$1,392 $1,392

$628 €550

121.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K $11.6K

$16.5K €14.4K

-29.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 $53.2

$102 €89.0

-47.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.83 $42.83

$41.55 €36.40

3.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 $73.1

$92.5 €81.0

-20.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$123 €107

3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 $1,229

$1,628 €1,426

-24.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$921 $921

$1,233 €1,080

-25.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 $1,785

$3,126 €2,739

-42.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 $1,480

$2,058 €1,803

-28.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,284 $2,284

$7,762 €6,801

-70.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,319 $2,319

$4,386 €3,843

-47.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,848 $3,848

$1,621 €1,420

137.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

3.81

70.60%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: July 21, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,229 in Des Moines, IA and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 137% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $331 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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

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

Des Moines, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Des Moines, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 137% higher in Des Moines, IA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,229 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Des Moines, IA – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,078 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,078 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Des Moines, IA but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Des Moines, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Des Moines, IA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,078 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Des Moines, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Des Moines, IA and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Des Moines, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.