For one person, living is cheaper in Brest: $1,397 a month against $1,990 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brest and in Rome actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,397 in Brest versus $1,990 in Rome.
Brest $1,397
Rome $1,990
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,166 in Brest versus $3,095 in Rome.
Brest $2,166
Rome $3,095
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,935 in Brest versus $4,199 in Rome.
Brest $2,935
Rome $4,199
🌍
Living in Brest costs roughly 30% less than in Rome, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.
📊
Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brest3% above, Rome47% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Brest
Rome
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.59€13.87
$16.68€14.84
-6.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.43€39.52
$67.4€59.9
-34.07%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.42€10.16
$11.31€10.06
0.97%
Cappuccino
$2.97€2.64
$2.09€1.86
42.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88€2.56
$2.89€2.57
-0.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04€1.82
$1.46€1.30
39.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.63€5.90
$5.63€5.01
17.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.26€4.68
$6.93€6.16
-24.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brest
Rome
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.16€1.03
$1.66€1.48
-30.12%
White Bread(500g)
$1.55€1.38
$2.28€2.03
-32.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.60€2.31
$3.03€2.70
-14.19%
Eggs
$3.64€3.24
$4.53€4.03
-19.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.85€16.77
$14.76€13.13
27.71%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.07€8.95
$12.31€10.95
-18.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.38€12.79
$19.50€17.35
-26.26%
Apples(1kg)
$2.93€2.60
$2.64€2.35
10.98%
Banana(1kg)
$1.97€1.76
$2.29€2.04
-13.97%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.59€2.30
$2.28€2.03
13.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.93€2.60
$2.41€2.14
21.58%
Potato(1kg)
$1.65€1.47
$1.36€1.21
21.32%
Onion(1kg)
$2.04€1.81
$1.55€1.38
31.61%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.40€1.25
$1.37€1.22
2.19%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.32€0.28
$0.55€0.49
-41.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.23€11.76
$7.16€6.37
84.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.81€6.06
$5.45€4.85
24.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.66€2.36
$1.60€1.43
66.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72€2.42
$2.53€2.25
7.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Brest
Rome
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.96€1.74
$1.70€1.51
15.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.92€35.51
$38.95€34.64
2.49%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.39€7.46
$6.67€5.93
25.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.10€2.75
$1.71€1.53
81.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$30.99€27.57
$33.59€29.87
-7.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.12€1.88
$2.11€1.88
0.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.9K€32.9K
$35.5K€31.6K
3.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8K€30.9K
$37.0K€32.9K
-5.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brest
Rome
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$143€127
$203€180
-29.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.03€24.94
$11.33€10.08
147.40%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.24€26.90
$31.57€28.08
-4.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brest
Rome
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.17€32.17
$65.6€58.4
-44.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.00€13.34
$23.49€20.89
-36.14%
Cinema Ticket
$13.63€12.12
$11.43€10.16
19.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brest
Rome
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$220€196
$497€442
-55.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.3K€10.0K
$16.6K€14.8K
-31.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brest
Rome
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.8€61.2
$72.5€64.5
-5.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.40€27.04
$35.94€31.97
-15.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9€71.1
$85.1€75.7
-6.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9€64.0
$121€108
-40.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brest
Rome
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$507€451
$1,191€1,059
-57.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$386€343
$876€780
-55.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$895€796
$2,506€2,229
-64.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$718€639
$1,683€1,497
-57.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,782€2,475
$8,438€7,505
-67.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,515€2,237
$3,157€2,809
-20.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brest
Rome
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,657€2,363
$1,962€1,746
35.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.82
3.52
8.52%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Brest: October 19, 2026
Last update for Rome: October 20, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Brest
$386 27.6%
Rome
$876 44% ↑ 127%$491
🛒Groceries & Markets
Brest
$304 21.8%
Rome
$325 16.3% ↑ 6.9%$21
🍽Eating Out
Brest
$258 18.5%
Rome
$252 12.7% ↓ 2.4%$6.2
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brest
$201 14.4%
Rome
$246 12.4% ↑ 22.3%$45
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Brest
$113 8.1%
Rome
$142 7.1% ↑ 25.5%$29
🚌Getting Around
Brest
$72 5.1%
Rome
$61 3.1% ↓ 14.9%$11
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Brest
$63 4.5%
Rome
$88 4.5% ↑ 39.5%$25
🏠Accommodation & Living
Brest
$718 24.5%
Rome
$1.7K 40.1% ↑ 134%$965
🛒Groceries & Markets
Brest
$713 24.3%
Rome
$775 18.5% ↑ 8.7%$62
🍽Eating Out
Brest
$735 25%
Rome
$843 20.1% ↑ 14.7%$108
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brest
$229 7.8%
Rome
$257 6.1% ↑ 12.3%$28
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Brest
$251 8.6%
Rome
$315 7.5% ↑ 25.5%$64
🚌Getting Around
Brest
$147 5%
Rome
$125 3% ↓ 14.8%$22
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Brest
$142 4.8%
Rome
$200 4.8% ↑ 41.4%$59
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $507 in Brest and $1,191 in Rome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Brest pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $44.00 in Brest vs $67.0 in Rome for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $325 per month, with Brest cheaper across the board.
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
Brest vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Brest or Rome?
Brest wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Rome. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brest the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Brest or in Rome?
Average pay runs 35% higher in Brest, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Brest compared to Rome?
Rent for a central apartment: $507 in Brest versus $1,191 in Rome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Brest and in Rome?
Dining out is cheaper in Brest – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $67.0 in Rome. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Brest compared to Rome?
All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Brest versus $1,990 in Rome – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Brest or in Rome?
At $1,397 in Brest versus $1,990 in Rome, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Brest but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Brest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Brest or Rome?
Both work as nomad bases, but Brest delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,397 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brest hard to pass up.
How safe is Brest compared to Rome?
Safety-wise, Brest and Rome are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Brest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.