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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,175 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,447 in Portlaoise.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,225 in Des Moines, IA versus $3,879 in Portlaoise.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,274 in Des Moines, IA versus $5,310 in Portlaoise.

Living in Des Moines, IA costs roughly 11% less than in Portlaoise, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Moines, IA 58% above, Portlaoise 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 $19.96

$21.70 €18.68

-8.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$68.3 €58.8

17.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.39 €10.66

-1.69%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$4.48 €3.86

35.49%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$2.62 €2.26

12.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.71 €1.48

43.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$7.13 €6.14

-30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 $5.66

$5.83 €5.02

-2.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.69 €1.46

-45.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.39 €2.05

25.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.91 €1.64

74.87%

Eggs

$3.89 $3.89

$4.79 €4.12

-18.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 $9.72

$14.54 €12.51

-33.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 $9.56

$13.40 €11.53

-28.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 $13.62

$17.48 €15.05

-22.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$3.34 €2.87

32.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.98 €2.57

-48.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$3.44 €2.96

29.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$5.09 €4.38

-24.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.43 €2.09

32.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.84 €1.58

20.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.46 €1.25

64.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.22 €1.91

-4.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 $8.01

$20.76 €17.87

-61.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.12 $15.12

$14.08 €12.11

7.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$4.21 €3.62

-59.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.69 €3.17

-16.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$4.73 €4.07

-62.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 $59.0

$46.16 €39.72

27.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$5.35 €4.61

-62.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.59 €1.37

-23.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.07 $20.07

$34.33 €29.54

-41.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.04 €1.75

-55.88%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$40.4K €34.8K

-13.21%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$38.7K €33.3K

-36.68%

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

$184 $184

$251 €216

-26.84%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$22.93 €19.73

133.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$58.5 €50.4

19.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.8 $64.8

$59.1 €50.9

9.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 $20.02

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 $15.20

$14.18 €12.21

7.19%

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

$1,136 $1,136

$1,124 €967

1.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$5,500 €4,733

117.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 $61.4

$97.5 €83.9

-37.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 $42.74

$45.13 €38.84

-5.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$107 €92.1

-1.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$116 €100

23.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 $1,146

$1,292 €1,112

-11.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$853 $853

$1,027 €884

-16.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 $1,686

$2,403 €2,068

-29.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,432 $1,432

$2,230 €1,919

-35.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,336 $2,336

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,281 $2,281

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,859 $3,859

$3,306 €2,845

16.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

3.5

72.29%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Portlaoise: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,146 in Des Moines, IA and $1,292 in Portlaoise. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $80.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $68.0 in Portlaoise. Groceries flip the comparison at $348 vs $404, with Des Moines, IA cheaper for home cooking.

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 Portlaoise: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Des Moines, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Portlaoise. 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 17% 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: $1,146 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,292 in Portlaoise. 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 $80.0 versus $68.0 in Portlaoise. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,175 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $2,447 in Portlaoise – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,175 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,447 in Portlaoise, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Des Moines, IA but tight or insufficient in Portlaoise. The gap between the two cities makes Des Moines, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Des Moines, IA and Portlaoise 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 13% less than in Portlaoise. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.