Cost of Living Comparison Between Catania and Rome Cost of Living Comparison Between Catania and Rome

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,553 in Catania versus $2,031 in Rome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,438 in Catania versus $3,167 in Rome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,322 in Catania versus $4,304 in Rome.

Living in Catania costs roughly 24% less than in Rome, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Catania 13% above, Rome 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.37 €14.93

$17.45 €15.00

-0.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 €49.46

$70.9 €61.0

-18.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.85 €10.18

$11.79 €10.13

0.51%

Cappuccino

$2.37 €2.04

$2.26 €1.94

4.87%

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

$2.99 €2.57

$3.10 €2.67

-3.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.55 €1.33

21.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.94 €5.97

$5.86 €5.03

18.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 €3.83

$6.82 €5.86

-34.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.80 €1.55

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.28 €1.96

-24.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$3.25 €2.79

-15.38%

Eggs

$3.53 €3.04

$4.74 €4.07

-25.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.53 €9.91

$15.31 €13.16

-24.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.36 €10.63

$12.46 €10.71

-0.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.42 €14.12

$19.09 €16.41

-13.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$2.67 €2.30

-20.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$2.47 €2.13

-27.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 €1.23

$2.56 €2.21

-44.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.35

$2.44 €2.09

11.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.46 €1.25

11.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.61 €1.39

-16.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.44 €1.23

-11.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 €0.39

$0.51 €0.43

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.89 €5.92

$7.07 €6.08

-2.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.35 €7.17

$4.54 €3.91

83.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 €1.55

$1.73 €1.49

4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.43

$2.93 €2.52

-43.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.69 €1.45

-6.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.44 €33.05

$40.92 €35.18

-6.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.33 €7.16

$7.64 €6.57

9.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.78 €1.53

32.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.08 €30.16

$34.61 €29.76

1.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.05 €1.77

3.90%

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

$38.0K €32.7K

$37.1K €31.9K

2.51%

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

$37.2K €31.9K

$36.0K €30.9K

3.32%

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

$262 €226

$220 €189

19.36%

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

$10.41 €8.95

$12.41 €10.67

-16.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.16 €32.80

$31.36 €26.96

21.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 €54.9

$68.4 €58.8

-6.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 €13.66

$25.35 €21.79

-37.32%

Cinema Ticket

$10.27 €8.83

$11.50 €9.89

-10.70%

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

$466 €401

$504 €433

-7.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,938 €5,964

$17.4K €15.0K

-60.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.6 €74.5

$74.4 €64.0

16.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.32 €28.65

$37.93 €32.61

-12.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 €77.9

$87.3 €75.0

3.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €116

$124 €107

8.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 €533

$1,244 €1,070

-50.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 €332

$887 €762

-56.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 €1,023

$2,637 €2,267

-54.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$805 €692

$1,795 €1,543

-55.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,324 €1,998

$8,673 €7,457

-73.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,588 €1,365

$3,283 €2,822

-51.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,880 €1,616

$1,947 €1,674

-3.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.55

3.52

0.85%

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

Last update for Catania: September 1, 2026

Last update for Rome: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $620 in Catania and $1,244 in Rome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rome pays 4% 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: $58.0 in Catania vs $71.0 in Rome for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $332 per month, with Catania 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

Catania vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Catania is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Rome. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $620 in Catania versus $1,244 in Rome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,553 per month in Catania versus $2,031 in Rome – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Catania runs roughly 6% less than in Rome. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,553 in Catania versus $2,031 in Rome, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Catania but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Catania the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Catania 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 Catania gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.