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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $1,877 in Waterloo, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $2,558 in Waterloo, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $3,240 in Waterloo, IA.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 20% more expensive than Waterloo, IA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Waterloo, IA 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.46

$18.23 $18.23

-13.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.8

$64.9 $64.9

-0.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.82

$9.93 $9.93

4.43%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$5.21 $5.21

-44.53%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$2.73 $2.73

-18.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$2.47 $2.47

-37.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.88

$6.06 $6.06

-44.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.32

$6.84 $6.84

-42.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.03 $1.03

8.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$1.85 $1.85

-2.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$1.68 $1.68

4.17%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.70

$2.86 $2.86

10.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.49

$9.36 $9.36

44.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.63

$6.36 $6.36

22.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.32

$12.79 $12.79

22.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$3.69 $3.69

-38.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.22 $1.22

40.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.65

$3.31 $3.31

-41.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$4.48 $4.48

-43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$1.17 $1.17

52.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$2.11 $2.11

-2.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.65

$1.91 $1.91

1.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.57 $1.57

-48.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.66

$7.91 $7.91

-15.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.92

$13.25 $13.25

-56.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.76 $1.76

-24.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$1.77 $1.77

64.41%

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

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.58

$5.05 $5.05

-16.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.37 $1.37

-40.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.91

$29.75 $29.75

-37.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$0.83 $0.83

151.81%

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

$34.6K €29.5K

$36.1K $36.1K

-4.24%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

54.10%

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

$146 €124

$202 $202

-27.91%

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

$20.84 €17.73

$48.26 $48.26

-56.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.85

$59.8 $59.8

-33.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.35

$43.64 $43.64

11.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.04

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.72

$13.97 $13.97

-35.08%

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

$618 €526

$1,453 $1,453

-57.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

$29.8K $29.8K

-45.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.0

$39.03 $39.03

167.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.50

$42.28 $42.28

-4.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.8

$58.3 $58.3

60.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$129 $129

-4.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,365

$854 $854

87.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,073

$755 $755

67.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,608

$2,037 $2,037

50.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$863 $863

132.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,555

$1,508 $1,508

410.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,716

$1,481 $1,481

194.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,394

$3,582 $3,582

-54.27%

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 Waterloo, IA: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $854 in Waterloo, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Waterloo, IA pays 119% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64 in Lisbon vs $65 in Waterloo, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $280 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 Waterloo, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Waterloo, IA differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($2,258 vs $1,877 including rent). Waterloo, IA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Waterloo, 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 $854 in Waterloo, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,258 per month in Lisbon versus $1,877 in Waterloo, IA – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,877 in Waterloo, IA versus $2,258 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Waterloo, IA but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Waterloo, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Waterloo, 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 Waterloo, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.