Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cento and Rome

For one person, living is cheaper in Cento: $1,634 a month against $1,998 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rome outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Cento
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,634
/mo nomad
Rome
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,998
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cento and in Rome

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,634 in Cento versus $1,998 in Rome.

  • Cento $1,634
  • Rome $1,998

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,647 in Cento versus $3,117 in Rome.

  • Cento $2,647
  • Rome $3,117

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Cento versus $4,236 in Rome.

  • Cento $3,660
  • Rome $4,236

Living in Cento costs roughly 18% less than in Rome, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cento 21% above, Rome 48% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cento
Rome
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.84 €17.65
$16.69 €14.84
18.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.8 €78.1
$65.8 €58.5
33.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 €11.74
$11.08 €9.85
19.13%
Cappuccino
$2.20 €1.96
$2.10 €1.87
4.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36 €2.99
$2.91 €2.59
15.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 €1.38
$1.48 €1.32
4.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.10 €5.42
$5.62 €5.00
8.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 €4.95
$6.68 €5.94
-16.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cento
Rome
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.72 €1.53
-20.93%
White Bread (500g)
$2.85 €2.54
$2.27 €2.02
25.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.57 €2.29
$2.99 €2.66
-14.05%
Eggs
$3.89 €3.46
$4.75 €4.23
-18.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.10 €16.10
$14.53 €12.92
24.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.11 €10.77
$12.63 €11.24
-4.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.33 €15.42
$19.86 €17.67
-12.74%
Apples (1kg)
$2.16 €1.92
$2.64 €2.35
-18.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 €1.52
$2.28 €2.03
-25.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.88 €1.68
$2.46 €2.19
-23.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.47 €2.20
$2.42 €2.15
2.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 €1.17
$1.38 €1.22
-4.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.55 €1.38
-12.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.70 €1.51
$1.32 €1.17
28.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 €0.50
$0.55 €0.49
1.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79 €6.04
$7.31 €6.50
-7.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.02 €7.13
$5.44 €4.84
47.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 €1.43
$1.58 €1.40
1.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 €1.66
$2.62 €2.33
-28.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Cento
Rome
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.65 €1.47
$1.63 €1.45
1.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.56 €39.63
$39.26 €34.92
13.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.55 €4.05
$6.51 €5.79
-30.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.42 €1.27
$1.68 €1.50
-15.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.64 €24.59
$33.24 €29.57
-16.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 €1.81
$2.17 €1.93
-6.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K €32.7K
$35.3K €31.4K
4.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.6K €31.7K
$35.4K €31.5K
0.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cento
Rome
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$234 €208
$203 €181
15.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.00 €9.78
$11.50 €10.22
-4.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.90 €24.82
$32.03 €28.49
-12.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cento
Rome
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.9 €50.6
$65.9 €58.6
-13.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.47 €20.87
$22.89 €20.36
2.53%
Cinema Ticket
$9.89 €8.80
$11.23 €9.99
-11.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cento
Rome
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$547 €487
$484 €430
13.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,422 €3,933
$16.5K €14.7K
-73.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cento
Rome
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.6 €78.8
$71.0 €63.1
24.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.28 €37.61
$36.51 €32.47
15.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.9 €85.3
$84.9 €75.5
12.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$150 €134
$122 €108
23.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cento
Rome
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$533 €474
$1,222 €1,087
-56.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$443 €394
$881 €784
-49.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,047 €932
$2,537 €2,257
-58.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$918 €817
$1,721 €1,530
-46.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,197 €2,844
$8,274 €7,360
-61.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,863 €1,657
$3,084 €2,743
-39.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cento
Rome
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,766 €1,571
$1,942 €1,728
-9.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.19
3.52
-9.38%

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

Last update for Cento: October 12, 2026

Last update for Rome: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cento
$443
Rome
$881 99.2% $439
Groceries & Markets
Cento
$324
Rome
$329 1.7% $5.5
Eating Out
Cento
$286
Rome
$251 12.2% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cento
$273
Rome
$246 9.6% $26
Clothing & Footwear
Cento
$170
Rome
$141 16.7% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Cento
$77
Rome
$88 15.2% $12
Getting Around
Cento
$63
Rome
$61 3.4% $2.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $533 in Cento and $1,222 in Rome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rome pays 10% 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: $88.0 in Cento vs $66.0 in Rome. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $329, with Cento cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Cento
🇮🇹 Rome
🕒 Local time
15:22 3:22 PM
15:22 3:22 PM
Same time as Cento
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
35,582
2,848,084 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cento Rome 330 km
From you
  • Cento
  • Rome

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
Cento vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cento or Rome?
Cento wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Rome. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cento the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Cento or in Rome?
On paper, salaries run 10% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Cento compared to Rome?
Rent for a central apartment: $533 in Cento versus $1,222 in Rome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Cento compared to Rome?
A monthly transit pass in Cento runs roughly 13% less than in Rome. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Cento and in Rome?
Childcare runs $547 in Cento versus $484 in Rome. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Cento or in Rome?
At $1,634 in Cento versus $1,998 in Rome, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cento but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Cento the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cento or Rome?
Both work as nomad bases, but Cento delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,634 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cento hard to pass up.
How safe is Cento compared to Rome?
Safety-wise, Cento 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 Cento gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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