Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Biella and Milan

For one person, living is cheaper in Biella: $1,455 a month against $2,555 in Milan, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Biella, Italy
Milan, Italy
Biella
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,455
/mo nomad
Milan
🇮🇹 Italy
$2,555
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Biella and in Milan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Biella and in Milan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,455 in Biella versus $2,555 in Milan.

  • Biella $1,455
  • Milan $2,555

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,244 in Biella versus $3,859 in Milan.

  • Biella $2,244
  • Milan $3,859

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,034 in Biella versus $5,163 in Milan.

  • Biella $3,034
  • Milan $5,163

Living in Biella costs roughly 43% less than in Milan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Biella 7% above, Milan 88% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Biella
Milan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.68 €14.99
$22.10 €19.85
-24.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.1 €60.3
$89.0 €80.0
-24.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 €9.52
$13.35 €11.99
-20.67%
Cappuccino
$1.76 €1.58
$2.14 €1.92
-17.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 €2.66
$3.68 €3.31
-19.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.21
$1.95 €1.75
-30.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.17 €4.65
$6.96 €6.25
-25.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 €3.96
$6.78 €6.09
-34.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Biella
Milan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 €1.13
$1.75 €1.57
-28.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 €2.05
$3.19 €2.86
-28.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.95 €2.65
$3.69 €3.31
-20.05%
Eggs
$3.71 €3.33
$5.02 €4.51
-26.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.40 €12.93
$23.30 €20.93
-38.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.90 €8.00
$14.73 €13.23
-39.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.24 €19.08
$22.89 €20.56
-7.21%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 €2.74
$2.96 €2.66
3.04%
Banana (1kg)
$2.17 €1.95
$2.31 €2.07
-6.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 €1.74
$3.23 €2.90
-39.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.83 €4.34
$4.30 €3.87
12.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.66
$2.26 €2.03
-18.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.63
$2.00 €1.79
-9.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.78 €1.60
-17.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.35 €0.32
$0.61 €0.55
-42.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.74 €6.05
$7.25 €6.51
-7.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.62 €5.95
$9.77 €8.77
-32.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.01 €1.80
$1.93 €1.74
4.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 €2.28
$2.38 €2.14
6.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Biella
Milan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.90 €1.71
$2.45 €2.20
-22.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.48 €34.56
$43.45 €39.03
-11.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$14.64 €13.15
$7.62 €6.85
92.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 €1.49
$2.29 €2.06
-27.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.62 €26.61
$65.1 €58.5
-54.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 €1.78
$2.20 €1.98
-9.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.5K €32.8K
$36.3K €32.7K
0.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.9K €32.3K
$37.4K €33.6K
-4.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Biella
Milan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$190 €171
$248 €223
-23.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.66 €6.88
$10.29 €9.24
-25.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.66 €24.85
$29.70 €26.68
-6.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Biella
Milan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$66.3 €59.5
$82.9 €74.4
-20.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.85 €22.32
$33.55 €30.13
-25.93%
Cinema Ticket
$9.10 €8.17
$11.38 €10.22
-20.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Biella
Milan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$687 €617
$939 €844
-26.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K €9,207
$18.8K €16.8K
-45.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Biella
Milan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.2 €78.3
$101 €90.9
-13.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.14 €39.65
$49.50 €44.47
-10.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.4 €74.0
$116 €104
-28.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 €100
$164 €147
-31.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Biella
Milan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$414 €372
$1,764 €1,585
-76.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$370 €332
$1,164 €1,046
-68.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$678 €609
$3,429 €3,080
-80.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$562 €504
$1,975 €1,774
-71.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,598 €1,436
$10.6K €9,499
-84.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$850 €764
$5,220 €4,689
-83.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Biella
Milan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,819 €1,634
$2,162 €1,942
-15.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.65
3.18
14.78%

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

Last update for Biella: October 27, 2026

Last update for Milan: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Biella
$370
Milan
$1.2K 215% $794
Groceries & Markets
Biella
$321
Milan
$419 30.3% $97
Eating Out
Biella
$238
Milan
$313 31.5% $75
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Biella
$225
Milan
$288 27.6% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Biella
$146
Milan
$194 32.1% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Biella
$84
Milan
$106 25% $21
Getting Around
Biella
$69
Milan
$72 4.8% $3.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $414 in Biella and $1,764 in Milan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milan pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $67 in Biella vs $89 in Milan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $419 per month, with Biella cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Biella
🇮🇹 Milan
🕒 Local time
21:22 9:22 PM
21:22 9:22 PM
Same time as Biella
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
45,740
1,394,798
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Biella Milan 89 km
From you
  • Biella
  • Milan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Biella vs Milan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Biella and in Milan?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,455 in Biella and $2,555 in Milan, so Biella is about 43% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Biella. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Biella and in Milan?
Rent for a central apartment: $414 in Biella versus $1,764 in Milan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Biella and Milan?
Childcare runs $687 in Biella versus $939 in Milan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Milan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,455 in Biella versus $2,555 in Milan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Biella but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Biella the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Biella and Milan?
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.
Where should expats move: Biella or Milan?
Expats usually find Biella gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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