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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,541 in Portlaoise versus $2,111 in Des Moines, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,620 in Portlaoise versus $3,163 in Des Moines, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,699 in Portlaoise versus $4,214 in Des Moines, IA.

Living in Portlaoise is roughly 20% more expensive than Des Moines, IA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Portlaoise 90% above, Des Moines, IA 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.82 €16.11

$16.09 $16.09

16.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.6

$81.5 $81.5

-16.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 €8.79

$11.81 $11.81

-13.04%

Cappuccino

$4.19 €3.59

$4.99 $4.99

-16.03%

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

$2.36 €2.02

$2.33 $2.33

1.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.89 $1.89

-17.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.01 €6.00

$5.05 $5.05

38.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 €4.82

$7.12 $7.12

-20.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.99 $0.99

51.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 €0.86

$2.47 $2.47

-59.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 €1.84

$2.15 $2.15

Eggs

$3.97 €3.40

$3.59 $3.59

10.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.61 €2.23

$12.47 $12.47

-79.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.41 €8.91

$10.63 $10.63

-2.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.47 €9.82

$12.83 $12.83

-10.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 €2.58

$4.55 $4.55

-33.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 €1.70

$1.51 $1.51

31.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.42

$3.58 $3.58

-20.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.38 €2.90

$3.54 $3.54

-4.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.68 $1.68

-17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 €1.22

$3.05 $3.05

-53.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.22

$2.21 $2.21

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 €1.41

$1.12 $1.12

47.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.55 €15.02

$7.06 $7.06

148.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.94 €11.93

$15.03 $15.03

-7.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.91 €4.20

$1.69 $1.69

190.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 €4.21

$4.06 $4.06

20.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.71 $1.71

40.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 €84.7

$57.8 $57.8

71.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 €4.13

$2.05 $2.05

135.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.78 €2.38

$1.21 $1.21

129.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.33 €37.09

$20.05 $20.05

116.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.70

$0.81 $0.81

145.68%

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

$41.7K €35.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

60.92%

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

$39.2K €33.5K

$25.0K $25.0K

56.66%

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

$288 €246

$144 $144

99.69%

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

$21.33 €18.26

$52.1 $52.1

-59.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 €47.97

$53.8 $53.8

4.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 €45.04

$65.7 $65.7

-19.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 $19.90

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 €9.42

$15.16 $15.16

-27.44%

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

$1,073 €918

$1,362 $1,362

-21.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,213 €7,031

$11.7K $11.7K

-29.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.0 €76.2

$53.3 $53.3

66.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.82 €33.23

$41.62 $41.62

-6.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 €85.3

$72.8 $72.8

36.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 €91.2

$129 $129

-17.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 €1,278

$1,212 $1,212

23.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 €1,059

$921 $921

34.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,421 €2,073

$1,770 $1,770

36.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 €1,703

$1,467 $1,467

35.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,311 $2,311

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,300 $2,300

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,213 €2,751

$3,660 $3,660

-12.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

6.5

-26.15%

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

Last update for Portlaoise: April 28, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,493 in Portlaoise and $1,212 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Portlaoise vs $82.0 in Des Moines, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $330 per month, with Portlaoise 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

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

Des Moines, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Portlaoise. 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 14% 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: $1,493 in Portlaoise versus $1,212 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 $82.0 versus $68.0 in Portlaoise. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,541 per month in Portlaoise versus $2,111 in Des Moines, IA – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,111 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,541 in Portlaoise, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Des Moines, IA but tight or insufficient in Portlaoise. The gap between the two cities makes Des Moines, 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, Portlaoise 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 20% less than in Portlaoise. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.