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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,829 in Waterloo, IA versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,541 in Waterloo, IA versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Waterloo, IA versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Waterloo, IA costs roughly 20% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waterloo, IA 37% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 $17.82

$16.19 €14.18

10.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.9 $64.9

$63.3 €55.5

2.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 $10.07

$10.32 €9.04

-2.42%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$2.83 €2.48

78.80%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$2.29 €2.01

18.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.58 €1.38

50.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$3.40 €2.98

75.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 $7.12

$4.03 €3.53

76.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.09 €0.96

-5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.75 €1.53

11.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.76 €1.54

-3.98%

Eggs

$2.97 $2.97

$3.17 €2.77

-6.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 $9.53

$13.19 €11.56

-27.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 $6.60

$7.97 €6.98

-17.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 $12.87

$15.53 €13.60

-17.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.37 €2.07

63.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.71 €1.49

-30.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.01 €1.76

58.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.43 €2.13

77.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.76 €1.54

-32.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.03 €1.78

8.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.92 €1.68

-4.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.85 €0.74

81.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.14 $8.14

$6.58 €5.76

23.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 $12.74

$5.58 €4.89

128.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.33 €1.17

27.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.97 €2.60

-41.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.28 €1.99

-13.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 $4.94

$4.23 €3.70

16.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.81 €0.71

70.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.64 $29.64

$18.44 €16.15

60.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$2.08 €1.82

-61.54%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$34.7K €30.4K

1.68%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$39.2K €34.3K

-34.57%

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

$197 $197

$148 €130

33.07%

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

$48.66 $48.66

$20.46 €17.92

137.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 $58.9

$39.56 €34.64

48.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.76 $42.76

$47.99 €42.03

-10.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$9.22 €8.08

52.49%

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

$1,435 $1,435

$616 €540

132.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$16.4K €14.4K

80.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.26 $39.26

$103 €90.0

-61.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.67 $42.67

$41.74 €36.55

2.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.2 $60.2

$94.8 €83.0

-36.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$122 €107

5.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 $846

$1,633 €1,430

-48.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$736 $736

$1,232 €1,079

-40.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 $2,010

$3,098 €2,713

-35.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$837 $837

$2,031 €1,779

-58.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,497 $1,497

$7,831 €6,858

-80.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 $1,442

$4,389 €3,844

-67.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,910 $3,910

$1,607 €1,408

143.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

3.81

68.77%

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

Last update for Waterloo, IA: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $846 in Waterloo, IA and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Waterloo, IA pays 143% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Waterloo, IA vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $267 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

Waterloo, IA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waterloo, IA and Lisbon differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,829 vs $2,291 including rent). Waterloo, IA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 143% higher in Waterloo, IA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $846 in Waterloo, IA versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,829 per month in Waterloo, IA versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,829 in Waterloo, IA versus $2,291 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, Waterloo, 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.

Expats usually find Waterloo, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.