# Numbeo API: Get cost of living

> Gets a city's current Numbeo cost of living indices, monthly estimates without rent, and typical prices. Add a country or state to tell apart cities with the same name.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Numbeo.

- Page: https://fous.com/methods/numbeo.com/get-cost-of-living
- Method: `numbeo.com/get_cost_of_living`, version 1
- Website: numbeo.com
- Returns: city, country, currency, cost of living and rent indices, monthly estimates, last update month, link, prices
- Effect: read (it gets data and changes nothing)
- Sign-in: none needed
- Cost: 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free
- Verified: Nov 2, 2026

## Inputs

| Field | Type | Required | In the run below | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `city` | string | yes | `"Lisbon"` | City name, with a country or state if needed, e.g. Lisbon or Portland, Oregon. |
| `currency` | string | no |  | Display currency name or 3-letter code, e.g. British pound or GBP. Defaults to the city's local currency. Default "". |

## Output

From a run on Oct 23, 2026, shortened. Its input:

```json
{
  "city": "Lisbon"
}
```

Its output:

```json
{
  "city": "Lisbon",
  "prices": [
    {
      "item": "Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant",
      "category": "Restaurants",
      "low_price": 11,
      "high_price": 20,
      "average_price": 15
    },
    {
      "item": "Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks)",
      "category": "Restaurants",
      "low_price": 40,
      "high_price": 75,
      "average_price": 55
    },
    {
      "item": "Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal)",
      "category": "Restaurants",
      "low_price": 8,
      "high_price": 12,
      "average_price": 10
    }
  ],
  "country": "Portugal",
  "currency": "EUR",
  "rent_index": 34.7,
  "numbeo_link": "https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Lisbon",
  "cost_of_living_index": 54.4,
  "data_last_updated_month": "2026-10",
  "monthly_cost_one_person_without_rent": 756.3,
  "monthly_cost_family_of_four_without_rent": 2733
}
```

## Run it

From code, with a Fous API key in `FOUS_API_KEY`; the answer's `data` holds the output:

```bash
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"numbeo.com/get_cost_of_living","input":{"city":"Lisbon"}}'
```

From an AI agent connected to the Fous MCP server: its `run` with the same method and input. To connect one, give it `set up https://fous.com/SKILL.md`.

## Ask your agent

- What's the current cost of living index for Lisbon, Portugal, and how much does a single person typically spend monthly without rent?
- Need the Numbeo cost of living and rent indices for Portland, Oregon, shown in USD.
- Look up typical prices and monthly expense estimates for Osaka, Japan, converted to GBP.
- How expensive is it to live in Austin, Texas right now? Give me the indices and the last update month.
- Find the cost of living data for Porto in Portugal, with figures in euros, plus a link to the source page.

## Input schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "city"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "city": {
      "type": "string",
      "minLength": 1,
      "description": "City name, with a country or state if needed, e.g. Lisbon or Portland, Oregon."
    },
    "currency": {
      "type": "string",
      "default": "",
      "description": "Display currency name or 3-letter code, e.g. British pound or GBP. Defaults to the city's local currency."
    }
  }
}
```

## Output schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "city",
    "country",
    "currency",
    "cost_of_living_index",
    "rent_index",
    "monthly_cost_one_person_without_rent",
    "monthly_cost_family_of_four_without_rent",
    "data_last_updated_month",
    "numbeo_link",
    "prices"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "city": {
      "type": "string"
    },
    "prices": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "item",
          "category",
          "average_price",
          "low_price",
          "high_price"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "item": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "category": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "low_price": {
            "type": [
              "number",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "high_price": {
            "type": [
              "number",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "average_price": {
            "type": [
              "number",
              "null"
            ]
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "country": {
      "type": "string"
    },
    "currency": {
      "type": "string"
    },
    "rent_index": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ]
    },
    "numbeo_link": {
      "type": "string"
    },
    "cost_of_living_index": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ]
    },
    "data_last_updated_month": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ]
    },
    "monthly_cost_one_person_without_rent": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ]
    },
    "monthly_cost_family_of_four_without_rent": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## See more

- [Numbeo API: Compare cost of living between two cities](https://fous.com/methods/numbeo.com/compare-cost-of-living.md): Compares living costs in two Numbeo cities: six price and purchasing-power differences, plus the monthly take-home salary needed in the destination for a similar standard of living (rent assumed in both cities).
- [Zumper API: Get average rents by city](https://fous.com/methods/zumper.com/get-average-rents.md): Gets Zumper's current median monthly rents for studio through three-bedroom homes in a city, with monthly and yearly percentage changes. National rank is included only when the same-month U.S. national report ranks the city.
- [Time and Date API: Get time in city](https://fous.com/methods/timeanddate.com/get-time-in-city.md): Gets the current local time, time zone, and next daylight saving change for a city listed on Time and Date. Add a state or country to distinguish cities with the same name.
- [Zillow API: Get housing market](https://fous.com/methods/zillow.com/get-housing-market.md): Looks up Zillow housing market figures for a city and state or five-digit ZIP code: typical home value, one-year change, list and sale prices, inventory and listing activity.
- [Hostelworld API: Search hostels](https://fous.com/methods/hostelworld.com/search-hostels.md): Finds available hostels, hotels and guesthouses on Hostelworld in a city for given dates, with per-night dorm and private room prices, ratings, facilities and booking links.
- [GasBuddy API: Get average gas prices](https://fous.com/methods/gasbuddy.com/get-average-gas-prices.md): Gets GasBuddy's latest reported average regular gas price, its changes and the diesel benchmark for a US state or a listed metro area. Midgrade, premium and area low/high prices are not published with these averages; updates may lag the current day.
- [EIA API: Get electricity prices](https://fous.com/methods/eia.gov/get-electricity-prices.md): Gets a state's latest monthly electricity price for a customer type from EIA. It also returns the year-over-year change, the year-to-date average and the matching US average.
- [European Union API: Get Eurostat statistic for a country](https://fous.com/methods/ec.europa.eu/get-statistic.md): Looks up an official Eurostat statistic for an EU or EEA country and the EU27 figure for the same period. Quarterly and half-yearly series return the reporting period that contains a requested month.
- [All Numbeo methods](https://fous.com/methods/numbeo.com.md)