Cost of Living Comparison Between Waterloo, IA and L'Aquila Cost of Living Comparison Between Waterloo, IA and L'Aquila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,884 per month in Waterloo, IA vs $1,586 in L'Aquila, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,542 per month in Waterloo, IA vs $2,454 in L'Aquila, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Waterloo, IA vs $3,321 in L'Aquila, rent included.

Waterloo, IA costs about 19% more than L'Aquila, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Waterloo, IA and L'Aquila sit above the global median – Waterloo, IA by 41%, L'Aquila by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.98 $17.98

$20.59 €17.73

-12.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.9 $66.9

$73.8 €63.6

-9.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 $9.83

$12.93 €11.14

-23.98%

Cappuccino

$5.19 $5.19

$1.79 €1.54

189.94%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.78 €2.39

-2.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.34 €1.15

85.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.63 €4.85

7.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$5.62 €4.84

21.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.50 €1.30

-31.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.86 €2.47

-31.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.37 €2.04

-27.00%

Eggs

$2.92 $2.92

$3.41 €2.93

-14.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 $9.21

$13.32 €11.46

-30.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$12.51 €10.77

-48.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.84 $12.84

$17.35 €14.94

-25.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.23 €1.92

70.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.85 €1.59

-37.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.29 €1.97

46.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.94 €2.53

52.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.63 €1.40

-28.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.64 €1.41

30.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.47 €1.27

26.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.39 €0.34

289.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.23 $8.23

$6.86 €5.91

19.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.14 $13.14

$5.76 €4.96

128.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.34 €1.15

26.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.71 €1.47

1.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.75 €1.51

11.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.10 €29.36

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 $5.02

$5.18 €4.46

-3.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.70 €1.47

-15.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.86 $28.86

$25.90 €22.29

11.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$2.10 €1.81

-64.29%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$32.9K €28.3K

6.86%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$33.7K €29.0K

-23.89%

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

$200 $200

$183 €157

9.34%

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

$48.55 $48.55

$13.80 €11.88

251.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$31.73 €27.31

91.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.12 $43.12

$56.8 €48.93

-24.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.86 €24.85

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 $13.95

$8.90 €7.66

56.74%

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

$1,450 $1,450

$538 €463

169.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K $29.5K

$5,812 €5,004

408.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.15 $39.15

$95.5 €82.2

-59.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.34 $42.34

$17.45 €15.03

142.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 $59.8

$92.7 €79.8

-35.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 $128

$81.8 €70.4

56.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 $835

$627 €540

33.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 $764

$502 €432

52.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,000 $2,000

$950 €818

110.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$833 $833

$797 €686

4.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,522 $1,522

$2,870 €2,471

-46.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,490 $1,490

$1,728 €1,488

-13.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,953 $3,953

$1,964 €1,691

101.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

3.69

74.25%

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

Last update for Waterloo, IA: May 31, 2026

Last update for L'Aquila: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $835 in Waterloo, IA versus $627 in L'Aquila. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 101% higher in Waterloo, IA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Waterloo, IA versus $74.0 in L'Aquila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $308 – making Waterloo, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Waterloo, IA vs L'Aquila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,884 in Waterloo, IA, $1,586 in L'Aquila – roughly 19% apart. Waterloo, IA costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,826 per month in Waterloo, IA and $2,379 in L'Aquila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in L'Aquila, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Waterloo, IA and $74.0 in L'Aquila. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Waterloo, IA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in L'Aquila, where all-in costs run around $1,586, than in Waterloo, IA at $1,884. In L'Aquila it covers expenses comfortably, while in Waterloo, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward L'Aquila – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with L'Aquila. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Waterloo, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.