Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Iowa City, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Iowa City, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $2,344 in Iowa City, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $3,313 in Iowa City, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $4,282 in Iowa City, IA.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 4% less than in Iowa City, IA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Iowa City, IA 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.46

$14.72 $14.72

7.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.8

$75.6 $75.6

-14.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.82

$8.85 $8.85

17.18%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$5.06 $5.06

-42.89%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$2.39 $2.39

-6.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.79 $1.79

-13.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.88

$5.07 $5.07

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.32

$7.13 $7.13

-45.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.96

$0.87 $0.87

28.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$2.66 $2.66

-32.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$4.80 $4.80

-63.54%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.70

$4.01 $4.01

-20.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.49

$9.07 $9.07

48.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.63

$10.55 $10.55

-26.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.32

$16.60 $16.60

-5.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$3.42 $3.42

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.16 $1.16

47.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.65

$2.71 $2.71

-28.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$4.76 $4.76

-47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$2.03 $2.03

-11.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$2.91 $2.91

-29.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.65

$1.99 $1.99

-2.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.99 $1.99

-59.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.66

$9.17 $9.17

-27.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.92

$15.47 $15.47

-62.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.69 $1.69

-21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$4.85 $4.85

-40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.00

$2.05 $2.05

14.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €38.89

$16.17 $16.17

182.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.58

$4.41 $4.41

-4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$2.11 $2.11

-61.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.91

$42.23 $42.23

-55.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$0.86 $0.86

143.02%

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

$34.6K €29.5K

$25.3K $25.3K

36.90%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$25.1K $25.1K

58.17%

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

$146 €124

$214 $214

-31.84%

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

$20.84 €17.73

$50.4 $50.4

-58.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.85

$75.8 $75.8

-47.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.35

$50.1 $50.1

-3.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.04

$20.21 $20.21

-6.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.72

$12.22 $12.22

-25.78%

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

$618 €526

$1,243 $1,243

-50.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

$25.1K $25.1K

-35.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.0

$66.9 $66.9

56.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.50

$47.76 $47.76

-15.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.8

$99.3 $99.3

-5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$117 $117

4.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,365

$1,210 $1,210

32.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,073

$1,093 $1,093

15.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,608

$2,426 $2,426

26.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$1,538 $1,538

30.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,555

$3,818 $3,818

101.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,716

$1,907 $1,907

129.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,394

$3,581 $3,581

-54.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.43

-40.75%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Iowa City, IA: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $1,210 in Iowa City, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 119% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64 in Lisbon vs $76 in Iowa City, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $352 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 Iowa City, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Iowa City, IA earns 119% 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $1,210 in Iowa City, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 183% less than in Iowa City, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $618 in Lisbon versus $1,243 in Iowa City, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,258 in Lisbon versus $2,344 in Iowa City, IA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Iowa City, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Iowa City, IA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Iowa City, 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Iowa City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.