Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubuque, IA and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubuque, IA and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,653 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,513 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Dubuque, IA is about 23% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Dubuque, IA and Lisbon sit above the global median – Dubuque, IA by 31%, Lisbon by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.30 $16.30

$17.30 €14.89

-5.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 $50.1

$63.3 €54.4

-20.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 $9.95

$11.39 €9.80

-12.64%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$3.19 €2.75

57.37%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$2.45 €2.10

-16.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.76 €1.52

-42.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.59 €3.09

-17.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.39 €2.92

35.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.24 €1.06

-34.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.98 €1.71

37.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.52 €1.31

125.00%

Eggs

$2.78 $2.78

$4.04 €3.48

-31.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 $10.14

$13.54 €11.65

-25.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 $10.42

$8.39 €7.22

24.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 $15.22

$18.25 €15.70

-16.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.29 €1.97

47.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.74 €1.50

-29.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.86 €1.60

78.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.63 €2.26

-9.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.92 €1.65

-27.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.09 €1.80

-22.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.44 €1.24

61.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.84 €0.72

111.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.05 $9.05

$6.78 €5.83

33.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.46 $13.46

$5.71 €4.91

135.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.38 €1.18

45.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.22 €1.91

21.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 $2.75

$4.17 €3.59

-34.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.14 €0.98

38.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.81 $20.81

$17.68 €15.21

17.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.32 €2.00

-61.64%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$35.3K €30.4K

0.92%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$41.4K €35.7K

-38.21%

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

$204 $204

$170 €147

19.75%

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

$67.9 $67.9

$19.34 €16.64

251.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$33.64 €28.95

96.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.36 $37.36

$48.10 €41.39

-22.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 $7.88

$9.92 €8.54

-20.56%

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

$784 $784

$717 €617

9.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$17.5K €15.0K

39.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$105 €90.2

-47.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.33 $35.33

$46.95 €40.40

-24.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 $88.2

$103 €89.0

-14.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.7 $90.7

$124 €107

-26.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 $1,006

$1,677 €1,443

-39.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 $723

$1,271 €1,094

-43.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 $1,456

$2,985 €2,568

-51.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 $1,190

$1,992 €1,715

-40.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,754 $1,754

$7,826 €6,734

-77.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,691 $1,691

$4,658 €4,008

-63.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,766 $3,766

$1,583 €1,362

137.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

3.79

38.52%

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

Last update for Dubuque, IA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Dubuque, IA versus $1,677 in Lisbon. 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 138% higher in Dubuque, IA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Dubuque, IA versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $318 in Dubuque, IA vs $283 in Lisbon – so Lisbon 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

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

Lisbon costs about 29% more than Dubuque, IA, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,690 per month in Dubuque, IA and $3,474 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,794 in Dubuque, IA and $2,316 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Dubuque, IA and $717 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dubuque, IA, where all-in costs run around $1,794, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Dubuque, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dubuque, IA costs $1,794 versus $2,316 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Dubuque, IA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.