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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,037 in Des Moines, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,079 in Des Moines, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $4,122 in Des Moines, IA.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Des Moines, IA 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.81

$15.78 $15.78

0.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €56.2

$80.3 $80.3

-19.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.12

$12.14 $12.14

-13.43%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.49

$4.83 $4.83

-40.58%

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

$2.24 €1.95

$2.32 $2.32

-3.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.92 $1.92

-21.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.03

$5.02 $5.02

-30.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.37

$7.13 $7.13

-45.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.97 $0.97

17.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.55 $2.55

-31.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.24 $2.24

-21.43%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.79

$3.53 $3.53

-8.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.71

$12.58 $12.58

7.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.87

$10.56 $10.56

-25.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.77

$13.13 $13.13

20.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €2.00

$4.35 $4.35

-46.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.50 $1.50

13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$3.77 $3.77

-46.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$3.56 $3.56

-30.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.61 $1.61

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.74

$3.03 $3.03

-33.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.67

$2.24 $2.24

-13.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.12 $1.12

-29.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.73

$7.28 $7.28

-9.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.97

$15.29 $15.29

-62.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.77 $1.77

-22.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.58

$3.97 $3.97

-25.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.06

$1.72 $1.72

37.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.53

$58.1 $58.1

-21.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.72

$2.04 $2.04

110.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.27 $1.27

-35.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.88

$19.89 $19.89

-7.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.79

$0.77 $0.77

167.53%

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

$34.3K €29.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

31.67%

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

$39.3K €34.1K

$24.8K $24.8K

58.35%

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

$148 €128

$143 $143

3.48%

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

$20.52 €17.80

$51.9 $51.9

-60.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.37

$53.3 $53.3

-25.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.51

$67.9 $67.9

-29.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.42

$20.05 $20.05

-5.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.97

$15.11 $15.11

-39.25%

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

$614 €533

$1,371 $1,371

-55.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.9K

$11.8K $11.8K

35.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.8

$53.5 $53.5

95.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.49

$42.62 $42.62

-1.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €81.5

$73.3 $73.3

28.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$128 $128

-6.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,412

$1,247 $1,247

30.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,089

$914 $914

37.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,629

$1,729 $1,729

75.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,753

$1,484 $1,484

36.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,767

$2,304 $2,304

238.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,707

$2,327 $2,327

83.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,391

$3,631 $3,631

-55.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.5

-41.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,247 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 126% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $80.0 in Des Moines, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $332 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

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

Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Des Moines, IA earns 126% less. 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,247 in Des Moines, IA. 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $2,037 in Des Moines, IA – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,037 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 $2,037 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Des Moines, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, 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.