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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,095 in Ames, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $3,171 in Ames, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $4,246 in Ames, IA.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 9% more expensive than in Ames, IA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Ames, IA 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$17.67 $17.67

-8.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$45.18 $45.18

40.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$9.17 $9.17

12.54%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$5.29 $5.29

-46.50%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$2.02 $2.02

13.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.79 $1.79

-11.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$3.04 $3.04

11.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$7.01 $7.01

-42.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.02 $1.02

6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.61 $3.61

-51.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.05 $3.05

-42.30%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.20 $3.20

-0.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$9.55 $9.55

38.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$11.58 $11.58

-31.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$14.26 $14.26

8.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$4.97 $4.97

-52.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.16 $1.16

47.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$5.65 $5.65

-64.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$5.10 $5.10

-52.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.97 $3.97

-55.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$3.78 $3.78

-46.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.02 $2.02

-4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.91 $1.91

-55.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$9.18 $9.18

-28.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$16.12 $16.12

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.70 $1.70

-21.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$4.58 $4.58

-35.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.54 $1.54

48.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$48.34 $48.34

-5.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$5.07 $5.07

-16.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.42 $1.42

-42.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$49.06 $49.06

-62.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.87 $0.87

139.08%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$25.4K $25.4K

36.30%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$25.2K $25.2K

55.34%

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

$148 €130

$193 $193

-23.25%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$48.88 $48.88

-58.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$72.8 $72.8

-45.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$69.1 $69.1

-30.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$19.83 $19.83

-6.20%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$14.02 $14.02

-34.24%

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

$616 €539

$1,458 $1,458

-57.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$30.4K $30.4K

-45.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$39.41 $39.41

160.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$42.67 $42.67

-2.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$84.2 $84.2

12.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$115 $115

5.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$989 $989

65.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$814 $814

51.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$1,904 $1,904

62.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$1,667 $1,667

21.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$2,363 $2,363

231.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$2,255 $2,255

94.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$3,584 $3,584

-55.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.02

-36.71%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ames, IA: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $989 in Ames, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 123% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $45.00 in Ames, IA. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $381, with Lisbon 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

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

Ames, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ames, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 123% lower in Ames, IA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $989 in Ames, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ames, IA runs roughly 6% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $1,458 in Ames, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,095 in Ames, IA versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ames, IA but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ames, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ames, IA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,095 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ames, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Ames, IA 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 Ames, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.