Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Portlaoise and Des Moines, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Portlaoise: $1,950 a month against $2,299 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. The total is higher in Des Moines, IA despite lower rent and utilities.

110

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index

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Portlaoise

🇮🇪 Ireland

$1,950

/mo nomad

Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,299

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Portlaoise and in Des Moines, IA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Portlaoise and in Des Moines, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,950 in Portlaoise versus $2,299 in Des Moines, IA.

Portlaoise $1,950
Des Moines, IA $2,299

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,045 in Portlaoise versus $3,459 in Des Moines, IA.

Portlaoise $3,045
Des Moines, IA $3,459

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,140 in Portlaoise versus $4,618 in Des Moines, IA.

Portlaoise $4,140
Des Moines, IA $4,618

Living in Portlaoise costs roughly 15% less than in Des Moines, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Portlaoise 44% above, Des Moines, IA 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.70 €16.61

$19.89 $19.89

-5.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 €70.7

$102 $102

-21.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.55 €11.15

$11.80 $11.80

6.36%

Cappuccino

$3.96 €3.52

$6.54 $6.54

-39.45%

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

$2.09 €1.85

$2.97 $2.97

-29.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.11

$2.47 $2.47

-49.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €6.12

$5.05 $5.05

36.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 €4.95

$5.65 $5.65

-1.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 €1.47

$0.86 $0.86

93.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 €2.00

$3.01 $3.01

-25.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

Eggs

$7.69 €6.83

$3.88 $3.88

98.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 $9.40

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.22 $17.22

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

Potato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.25 €17.10

$10.13 $10.13

90.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.48 €3.98

$1.71 $1.71

161.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.96 €39.05

$57.8 $57.8

-23.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 €5.41

$1.99 $1.99

206.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 €1.26

$1.25 $1.25

13.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.48 €16.42

$19.83 $19.83

-6.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.79

$1.01 $1.01

99.01%

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

$39.9K €35.4K

$26.9K $26.9K

48.28%

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

$32.8K €29.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

28.17%

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

$302 €268

$191 $191

57.85%

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

$34.08 €30.28

$52.9 $52.9

-35.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 €49.36

$77.2 $77.2

-28.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 €49.80

$33.80 $33.80

65.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.24 $20.24

Cinema Ticket

$16.73 €14.86

$9.86 $9.86

69.68%

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

$1,313 $1,313

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,242 €4,657

$14.6K $14.6K

-64.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 $77.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.53 €24.45

$56.1 $56.1

-50.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 €59.2

$103 $103

-35.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 $166

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 €1,108

$1,218 $1,218

2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$988 €878

$918 $918

7.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 €2,018

$2,058 $2,058

10.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 €1,873

$1,422 $1,422

48.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 $2,418

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,262 $2,262

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,809 €2,495

$3,788 $3,788

-25.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

6.57

-46.73%

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

Last update for Portlaoise: November 1, 2026

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

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Portlaoise

–

Des Moines, IA

$918 40%

Groceries & Markets

Portlaoise

–

Des Moines, IA

$421 18.3%

Eating Out

Portlaoise

–

Des Moines, IA

$331 14.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Portlaoise

–

Des Moines, IA

$321 14%

Clothing & Footwear

Portlaoise

–

Des Moines, IA

$181 7.9%

Getting Around

Portlaoise

–

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.2%

Sport & Entertainment

Portlaoise

–

Des Moines, IA

$54 2.3%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,247 in Portlaoise and $1,218 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 35% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $80 in Portlaoise vs $102 in Des Moines, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $70 vs $421 per month, with Portlaoise cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇪 Portlaoise

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🕒 Local time

20:56 8:56 PM

14:56 2:56 PM

6 h behind Portlaoise

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

23,494

214,133

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.13 USD

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Portlaoise Des Moines, IA 6,250 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Portlaoise
Des Moines, IA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Portlaoise wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Portlaoise the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Portlaoise. 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: $1,247 in Portlaoise versus $1,218 in Des Moines, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Portlaoise – a meal for two runs $80 versus $102 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Portlaoise runs roughly 24% less than in Des Moines, IA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your 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, Portlaoise and Des Moines, IA are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Portlaoise wins on affordability, Des Moines, IA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.