🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,147 in Sioux City, IA versus $2,210 in Lisbon.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,198 in Sioux City, IA versus $3,311 in Lisbon.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,249 in Sioux City, IA versus $4,411 in Lisbon.
🙂Living in Sioux City, IA costs roughly 3% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sioux City, IA60% above, Lisbon65% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sioux City, IA
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.77$15.77
$15.91€13.70
-0.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.7$55.7
$64.8€55.8
-14.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.48$10.48
$10.51€9.05
-0.29%
Cappuccino
$6.11$6.11
$2.87€2.47
112.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24$2.24
$2.24€1.93
-
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71$1.71
$1.50€1.30
14.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.88$4.88
$3.49€3.01
39.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.09$7.09
$3.88€3.34
82.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sioux City, IA
Lisbon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.89$0.89
$1.14€0.98
-21.93%
White Bread(500g)
$2.57$2.57
$1.75€1.51
46.86%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23$2.23
$1.76€1.51
26.70%
Eggs
$3.63$3.63
$3.22€2.77
12.73%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.91$7.91
$13.49€11.62
-41.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.87$7.87
$7.91€6.81
-0.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.15$17.15
$15.87€13.67
8.07%
Apples(1kg)
$4.45$4.45
$2.31€1.99
92.64%
Banana(1kg)
$1.63$1.63
$1.70€1.46
-4.12%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.57$3.57
$2.01€1.73
77.61%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.43$3.43
$2.46€2.12
39.43%
Potato(1kg)
$1.96$1.96
$1.84€1.59
6.52%
Onion(1kg)
$2.97$2.97
$2.00€1.72
48.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.31$2.31
$1.93€1.66
19.69%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22$2.22
$0.79€0.68
181.01%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.74$8.74
$6.61€5.69
32.22%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.89$14.89
$5.72€4.93
160.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69$1.69
$1.37€1.18
23.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.94$3.94
$2.97€2.56
32.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Sioux City, IA
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.82$1.82
$2.37€2.04
-23.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$47.46$47.46
$45.56€39.23
4.17%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.98$1.98
$4.29€3.69
-53.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.39$1.39
$0.82€0.70
69.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.90$19.90
$18.30€15.76
8.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.72$0.72
$2.06€1.78
-65.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K$26.3K
$34.3K€29.5K
-23.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K$24.7K
$39.3K€33.8K
-37.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sioux City, IA
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$144$144
$148€127
-2.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$50.9$50.9
$20.52€17.67
148.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.1$76.1
$39.61€34.11
92.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sioux City, IA
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$98.3$98.3
$47.85€41.20
105.48%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.92€16.29
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.13$15.13
$9.18€7.91
64.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sioux City, IA
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,087$1,087
$614€529
77.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.8K$11.8K
$16.0K€13.8K
-26.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sioux City, IA
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.24$43.24
$105€90.1
-58.69%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.74$21.74
$42.06€36.22
-48.31%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.1$74.1
$94.0€80.9
-21.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6$89.6
$120€103
-25.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sioux City, IA
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$764$764
$1,628€1,402
-53.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$959$959
$1,255€1,081
-23.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,464$1,464
$3,030€2,609
-51.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,747$1,747
$2,020€1,740
-13.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,577$1,577
$7,800€6,716
-79.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,529$1,529
$4,273€3,679
-64.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sioux City, IA
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,597$3,597
$1,603€1,381
124.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.61
3.81
73.49%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sioux City, IA: May 31, 2026
Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $764 in Sioux City, IA and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Sioux City, IA pays 124% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $56.0 in Sioux City, IA vs $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $330 vs $269, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.
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
Sioux City, IA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sioux City, IA and Lisbon?
Sioux City, IA and Lisbon differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,147 vs $2,210 including rent). Sioux City, IA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Sioux City, IA or Lisbon?
Sioux City, IA pays 124% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Sioux City, IA and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $764 in Sioux City, IA versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sioux City, IA and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $1,087 in Sioux City, IA versus $614 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,147 in Sioux City, IA versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sioux City, IA but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sioux City, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sioux City, IA and Lisbon?
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.
Is Sioux City, IA or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sioux City, IA and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Sioux City, IA or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Sioux City, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Sioux City, IA vs other spots: cost of living compared