Cost of Living Comparison Between Alba and Rome Cost of Living Comparison Between Alba and Rome

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,737 per month in Alba vs $2,031 in Rome, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,718 per month in Alba vs $3,167 in Rome, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,700 per month in Alba vs $4,304 in Rome, rent included.

Alba is about 14% cheaper than Rome, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Alba and Rome sit above the global median – Alba by 26%, Rome by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.84 €21.43

$17.45 €15.06

42.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 €81.5

$70.9 €61.2

33.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.73 €11.85

$11.79 €10.17

16.45%

Cappuccino

$2.22 €1.91

$2.26 €1.95

-1.77%

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

$3.87 €3.34

$3.10 €2.68

24.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.55 €1.34

25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.06

$5.86 €5.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 €5.96

$6.82 €5.88

1.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.54

$1.80 €1.56

-1.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 €2.85

$2.28 €1.97

45.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.97 €3.42

$3.25 €2.81

22.15%

Eggs

$5.11 €4.41

$4.74 €4.09

7.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.34 €20.14

$15.31 €13.21

52.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.10 €13.03

$12.46 €10.75

21.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.48 €20.26

$19.09 €16.47

23.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 €2.65

$2.67 €2.31

15.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 €2.15

$2.47 €2.14

0.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 €3.18

$2.56 €2.21

43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 €3.83

$2.44 €2.10

81.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.46 €1.26

67.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.61 €1.39

31.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 €1.64

$1.44 €1.24

32.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 €0.55

$0.51 €0.44

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.00 €6.04

$7.07 €6.10

-0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.14 €7.89

$4.54 €3.92

101.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.73 €1.49

21.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.93 €2.53

-16.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.92 €35.31

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.36 €7.22

$7.64 €6.59

9.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 €1.95

$1.78 €1.54

26.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.3 €55.5

$34.61 €29.87

85.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 €1.84

$2.05 €1.77

3.90%

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

$38.0K €32.8K

$37.1K €32.0K

2.49%

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

$37.5K €32.4K

$36.0K €31.0K

4.28%

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

$266 €230

$220 €190

21.14%

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

$8.06 €6.95

$12.41 €10.71

-35.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.97 €26.72

$31.36 €27.06

-1.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 €59.0

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.35 €21.87

Cinema Ticket

$12.96 €11.18

$11.50 €9.93

12.70%

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

$892 €770

$504 €435

77.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K €17.5K

$17.4K €15.0K

16.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €94.1

$74.4 €64.2

46.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 €45.49

$37.93 €32.73

38.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.1

$87.3 €75.3

31.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 €147

$124 €107

36.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 €480

$1,244 €1,074

-55.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 €352

$887 €765

-54.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 €649

$2,637 €2,276

-71.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 €556

$1,795 €1,549

-64.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,077 €2,656

$8,673 €7,484

-64.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,283 €2,833

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,769 €2,389

$1,947 €1,680

42.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.17

3.52

-9.94%

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

Last update for Alba: August 30, 2026

Last update for Rome: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in Alba versus $1,244 in Rome. 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 42% higher in Alba, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Alba versus $71.0 in Rome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $332 – making Rome 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

Alba vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rome is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,605 per month in Alba and $3,046 in Rome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alba, 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 $94.0 in Alba and $71.0 in Rome. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 30% cheaper in Rome – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Alba, where all-in costs run around $1,737, than in Rome at $2,031. In Alba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Alba – 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 Alba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rome makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.