Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Rome Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Rome

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,200 in Cambridge versus $1,995 in Rome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,031 in Cambridge versus $3,115 in Rome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,862 in Cambridge versus $4,234 in Rome.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 10% more expensive than Rome, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 64% above, Rome 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 NZ$22.61

$17.55 €14.99

-24.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.68 NZ$60.7

$74.2 €63.4

-51.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 NZ$15.22

$11.63 €9.93

-23.04%

Cappuccino

$3.06 NZ$5.20

$1.77 €1.51

72.88%

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

$2.41 NZ$4.10

$2.40 €2.05

0.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NZ$3.66

$1.27 €1.08

70.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.84 NZ$8.22

$5.72 €4.89

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 NZ$10.73

$5.13 €4.38

23.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.77

$1.78 €1.52

-8.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 NZ$2.76

$2.16 €1.84

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.14

$3.06 €2.61

-39.54%

Eggs

$6.21 NZ$10.55

$4.43 €3.78

40.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 NZ$14.09

$17.65 €15.07

-53.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 NZ$16.05

$12.08 €10.31

-21.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 NZ$21.13

$20.11 €17.17

-38.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 NZ$4.22

$2.34 €2.00

5.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.08

$2.34 €2.00

-22.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 NZ$4.12

$1.94 €1.66

24.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 NZ$5.23

$2.61 €2.23

18.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.56

$1.78 €1.52

17.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.05

$1.93 €1.65

-6.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 NZ$3.58

$1.28 €1.09

64.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 NZ$2.14

$0.55 €0.47

129.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.34 NZ$34.58

$6.81 €5.81

198.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 NZ$17.70

$4.66 €3.98

123.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 NZ$4.15

$1.91 €1.63

27.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 NZ$4.60

$2.77 €2.36

-2.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 NZ$5.16

$1.78 €1.52

70.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 NZ$108

$39.73 €33.93

60.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 NZ$4.48

$5.31 €4.54

-50.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.31

$1.60 €1.37

21.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.17 NZ$59.8

$35.36 €30.20

-0.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.93

$2.00 €1.71

-14.00%

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

$26.7K NZ$45.5K

$28.7K €24.5K

-6.92%

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

$22.9K NZ$38.9K

$29.8K €25.4K

-23.13%

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

$107 NZ$182

$217 €185

-50.84%

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

$36.98 NZ$62.9

$11.17 €9.54

231.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 NZ$67.1

$30.67 €26.20

28.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.05 NZ$63.0

$62.4 €53.3

-40.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 NZ$20.57

$23.80 €20.33

-49.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 NZ$15.43

$11.69 €9.98

-22.33%

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

$742 NZ$1,261

$531 €453

39.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.4K

$10.5K €8,985

13.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 NZ$168

$72.5 €61.9

36.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 NZ$98.9

$35.37 €30.21

64.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NZ$180

$87.9 €75.1

20.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 NZ$220

$123 €105

5.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 NZ$1,641

$1,349 €1,152

-28.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 NZ$2,062

$881 €753

37.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 NZ$3,552

$2,679 €2,288

-22.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,666

$1,615 €1,379

-2.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,762 NZ$8,095

$8,678 €7,411

-45.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,478 NZ$5,912

$3,504 €2,992

-0.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,642 NZ$4,491

$2,157 €1,842

22.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

51.90%

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

Last update for Cambridge: April 25, 2026

Last update for Rome: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $965 in Cambridge and $1,349 in Rome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 22% 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: $36.00 in Cambridge vs $74.0 in Rome for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $335 per month, with Cambridge 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

Cambridge vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cambridge pays 22% more on average, 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: $965 in Cambridge versus $1,349 in Rome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,200 per month in Cambridge versus $1,995 in Rome – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rome runs roughly 60% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,995 in Rome versus $2,200 in Cambridge, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rome but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Rome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rome is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cambridge 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.

Expats usually find Rome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.