Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Fort Madison, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Fort Madison, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $2,532 in Fort Madison, IA, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $3,724 in Fort Madison, IA, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $4,915 in Fort Madison, IA, rent included.

Lisbon is about 13% cheaper than Fort Madison, IA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Fort Madison, IA sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Fort Madison, IA by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.81

$19.23 $19.23

-17.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €56.2

$74.0 $74.0

-12.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.12

$11.08 $11.08

-5.14%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.49

$5.06 $5.06

-43.28%

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

$2.24 €1.95

$2.49 $2.49

-10.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.98 $1.98

-24.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.03

$5.98 $5.98

-41.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.37

$6.88 $6.88

-43.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.99 $0.99

15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.52

$3.60 $3.60

-51.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$4.31 $4.31

-59.16%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.79

$4.18 $4.18

-22.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.71

$12.07 $12.07

11.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.87

$11.34 $11.34

-30.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.77

$15.54 $15.54

2.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €2.00

$5.01 $5.01

-53.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.64 $1.64

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$4.34 $4.34

-53.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$4.80 $4.80

-48.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$2.87 $2.87

-35.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.74

$2.80 $2.80

-28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.67

$2.02 $2.02

-4.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$2.19 $2.19

-63.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.73

$9.87 $9.87

-33.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.97

$14.77 $14.77

-61.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.76 $1.76

-22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.58

$3.44 $3.44

-13.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.06

$1.96 $1.96

20.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.72

$3.51 $3.51

22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.59 $1.59

-48.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.88

$28.82 $28.82

-36.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.79

$0.90 $0.90

128.89%

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

$34.3K €29.7K

$29.7K $29.7K

15.57%

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

$39.3K €34.1K

$25.1K $25.1K

56.32%

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

$148 €128

$188 $188

-21.20%

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

$20.52 €17.80

$51.9 $51.9

-60.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.37

$68.3 $68.3

-41.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.51

$42.73 $42.73

11.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.42

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.97

$13.61 $13.61

-32.55%

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

$614 €533

$1,320 $1,320

-53.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.9K

$23.6K $23.6K

-32.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.8

$51.7 $51.7

102.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.49

$39.61 $39.61

6.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €81.5

$87.1 $87.1

7.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$111 $111

7.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,412

$1,574 $1,574

3.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,089

$1,342 $1,342

-6.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,629

$2,619 $2,619

15.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,753

$2,251 $2,251

-10.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,767

$2,511 $2,511

210.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,707

$2,421 $2,421

76.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,391

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.51

-41.47%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Fort Madison, IA: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,574 in Fort Madison, IA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $74.0 in Fort Madison, IA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $389 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Fort Madison, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $2,532 in Fort Madison, IA – roughly 15% apart. Fort Madison, IA costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $3,799 in Fort Madison, IA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon and $74.0 in Fort Madison, IA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Fort Madison, IA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,532 in Fort Madison, IA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,210 in Lisbon to $2,532 in Fort Madison, IA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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