๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,103 in Cook Islands versus $1,718 in Italy.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,682 in Cook Islands versus $2,623 in Italy.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,260 in Cook Islands versus $3,527 in Italy.
๐Living in Cook Islands costs about 36% less than in Italy on average.
๐Cook Islands (18% below) and Italy (28% above) straddle the global median.
๐Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,195 to $2,531, compared to $850โ$1,355 in Cook Islands. City choice carries more weight in Italy.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Cook Islands
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.08NZ$20.66
$17.20โฌ14.71
-29.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.8NZ$104
$81.2โฌ69.4
-25.08%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.07NZ$15.51
$11.40โฌ9.75
-20.44%
Cappuccino
$4.17NZ$7.13
$1.91โฌ1.63
118.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49NZ$4.26
$2.86โฌ2.45
-12.94%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37NZ$4.05
$1.33โฌ1.13
78.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.69NZ$11.44
$5.89โฌ5.04
13.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.29NZ$9.05
$5.12โฌ4.38
3.32%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Cook Islands
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.17NZ$3.70
$1.64โฌ1.40
32.32%
White Bread(500g)
$3.12NZ$5.34
$2.30โฌ1.96
35.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.67NZ$2.86
$3.03โฌ2.59
-44.88%
Eggs
$5.67NZ$9.70
$4.09โฌ3.50
38.63%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.78NZ$16.72
$16.26โฌ13.90
-39.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.68NZ$13.13
$12.24โฌ10.47
-37.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.89NZ$15.21
$20.45โฌ17.48
-56.53%
Apples(1kg)
$2.94NZ$5.03
$2.55โฌ2.18
15.29%
Banana(1kg)
$2.42NZ$4.14
$2.12โฌ1.82
14.15%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.62NZ$6.18
$2.68โฌ2.30
35.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.40NZ$10.95
$3.38โฌ2.89
89.35%
Potato(1kg)
$2.38NZ$4.08
$2.00โฌ1.71
19.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.92NZ$3.29
$1.88โฌ1.60
2.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.17NZ$3.71
$1.47โฌ1.26
47.62%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$3.26NZ$5.58
$0.54โฌ0.46
503.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.29NZ$26.14
$6.75โฌ5.77
126.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.21NZ$22.58
$7.18โฌ6.14
83.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.53NZ$6.04
$1.80โฌ1.54
96.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.92NZ$8.42
$2.45โฌ2.09
100.82%
๐ Getting Around
Cook Islands
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.09NZ$5.28
$2.02โฌ1.73
52.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.49โฌ35.47
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$21.22NZ$36.29
$5.77โฌ4.93
267.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.53โฌ1.31
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$36.64NZ$62.7
$35.33โฌ30.21
3.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.76NZ$3.00
$2.12โฌ1.81
-16.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.0KNZ$20.5K
$32.3Kโฌ27.6K
-62.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$33.4Kโฌ28.6K
-
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cook Islands
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105NZ$179
$224โฌ191
-53.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.92NZ$51.2
$13.24โฌ11.32
125.98%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$106NZ$181
$30.96โฌ26.47
241.57%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Cook Islands
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$24.82NZ$42.44
$56.6โฌ48.41
-56.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.94NZ$40.94
$25.11โฌ21.47
-4.66%
Cinema Ticket
$6.99NZ$11.96
$10.32โฌ8.83
-32.27%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Cook Islands
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$563โฌ482
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,443NZ$2,467
$10.6Kโฌ9,084
-86.42%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Cook Islands
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.8NZ$114
$90.1โฌ77.1
-25.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$40.60โฌ34.71
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$100โฌ85.6
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.4NZ$129
$133โฌ113
-43.09%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Cook Islands
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$314NZ$537
$864โฌ739
-63.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$321NZ$549
$668โฌ571
-51.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$354NZ$605
$1,473โฌ1,260
-75.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$475NZ$812
$1,088โฌ930
-56.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,153NZ$8,812
$3,808โฌ3,256
35.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$751NZ$1,284
$2,454โฌ2,098
-69.40%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Cook Islands
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,164NZ$7,120
$1,935โฌ1,655
115.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8
4.41
81.41%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cook Islands: April 21, 2026
Last update for Italy: April 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ National rent averages: $323 in Cook Islands, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $156 in Avarua vs $1,366 in Rome.
๐ฐNational salary averages: $4,055 in Cook Islands, $1,935 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money โ weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
โญRent is 130% higher in Italy.
โญDining out costs 25% more in Italy.
โญSalaries are 110% higher in Cook Islands, giving Cook Islands stronger purchasing power.
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
Cook Islands vs Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Cook Islands or Italy?
At $1,103 per month in Cook Islands and $1,863 in Italy, there's a 69% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city โ the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Cook Islands or Italy?
Cook Islands is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Cook Islands and Italy?
Rent in Italy beats Cook Islands across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Cook Islands vs Italy?
In Cook Islands, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Italy, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital โ you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Cook Islands and Italy?
It depends on what you're after. Cook Islands wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.
Cook Islands vs other spots: cost of living compared