For one person, living is cheaper in Crema: $1,567 a month against $1,997 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Crema and in Rome actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,567 per month in Crema vs $1,997 in Rome, rent included.
Crema $1,567
Rome $1,997
A couple spends around $2,100 per month in Crema vs $3,132 in Rome, rent included.
Crema $2,100
Rome $3,132
A family of three spends $2,633 per month in Crema vs $4,266 in Rome, rent included.
Crema $2,633
Rome $4,266
🙂
Crema is about 22% cheaper than Rome, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both Crema and Rome sit above the global median – Crema by 15%, Rome by 47%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Crema
Rome
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.06€15.32
$16.44€14.77
3.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.6€50.8
$68.0€61.0
-16.75%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.18€9.14
$11.14€10.01
-8.62%
Cappuccino
$1.67€1.50
$2.02€1.82
-17.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68€3.31
$3.00€2.70
22.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53€1.38
$1.48€1.33
3.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.71€5.13
$5.69€5.11
0.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.65€5.07
$6.77€6.08
-16.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Crema
Rome
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.13€1.01
$1.69€1.51
-33.14%
White Bread(500g)
$1.69€1.52
$2.19€1.96
-22.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.78€2.50
$3.08€2.77
-9.74%
Eggs
$3.40€3.06
$4.74€4.26
-28.27%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.51€11.24
$14.65€13.16
-14.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.86€7.96
$12.45€11.18
-28.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.62€14.03
$19.48€17.50
-19.82%
Apples(1kg)
$2.29€2.06
$2.60€2.34
-11.92%
Banana(1kg)
$1.36€1.22
$2.35€2.11
-42.13%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.41€1.26
$2.33€2.09
-39.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.33€2.09
$2.34€2.10
-0.43%
Potato(1kg)
$1.36€1.23
$1.36€1.22
-
Onion(1kg)
$1.52€1.37
$1.61€1.45
-5.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.30€1.17
$1.32€1.18
-1.52%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40€0.36
$0.51€0.46
-21.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.01€6.30
$7.03€6.32
-0.28%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.67€5.10
$5.61€5.04
1.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36€1.22
$1.64€1.48
-17.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02€0.92
$2.51€2.26
-59.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Crema
Rome
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.64€1.47
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$39.58€35.56
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.52€4.06
$6.77€6.08
-33.23%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.20€1.08
$1.65€1.48
-27.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.31€30.82
$34.02€30.56
0.85%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.95€1.76
$2.17€1.95
-10.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.7K€33.0K
$35.4K€31.8K
3.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.2K€31.6K
$36.6K€32.9K
-3.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Crema
Rome
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$271€243
$210€188
29.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.17€9.14
$11.53€10.36
-11.80%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.16€25.29
$32.32€29.03
-12.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Crema
Rome
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$65.0€58.4
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.81€24.98
$23.53€21.14
18.19%
Cinema Ticket
$12.96€11.64
$11.32€10.17
14.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Crema
Rome
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$556€499
$488€438
13.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.2K€9,173
$16.7K€15.0K
-38.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Crema
Rome
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.6€49.06
$71.1€63.9
-23.21%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.35€39.84
$36.84€33.09
20.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.2€80.2
$85.4€76.7
4.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.4€81.2
$128€115
-29.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Crema
Rome
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$734€659
$1,297€1,165
-43.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$592€532
$875€786
-32.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,241€1,114
$2,584€2,321
-51.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$548€492
$1,739€1,562
-68.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$8,477€7,615
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$3,239€2,910
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Crema
Rome
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,315€2,080
$1,948€1,750
18.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.62
3.52
2.84%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Crema: October 24, 2026
Last update for Rome: October 25, 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
Crema
$592 37.8%
Rome
$875 43.8% ↑ 47.8%$283
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Crema
$309 19.7%
Rome
$254 12.7% ↓ 18%$56
🛒Groceries & Markets
Crema
$256 16.3%
Rome
$326 16.3% ↑ 27.4%$70
🍽Eating Out
Crema
$248 15.8%
Rome
$249 12.5% ↑ 0.6%$1.4
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Crema
$125 8%
Rome
$145 7.2% ↑ 15.3%$19
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Crema
$26 * 1.7%
Rome
$88 4.4% ↑ 238%$62
🚌Getting Around
Crema
$11 * 0.7%
Rome
$61 3.1% ↑ 481%$51
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Crema
$548 20.8%
Rome
$1.7K 40.8% ↑ 217%$1.2K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Crema
$319 12.1%
Rome
$265 6.2% ↓ 17%$54
🛒Groceries & Markets
Crema
$605 23%
Rome
$777 18.2% ↑ 28.3%$172
🍽Eating Out
Crema
$780 29.6%
Rome
$839 19.7% ↑ 7.6%$59
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Crema
$279 10.6%
Rome
$321 7.5% ↑ 15.3%$43
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Crema
$80 * 3%
Rome
$199 4.7% ↑ 150%$119
🚌Getting Around
Crema
$21 * 0.8%
Rome
$126 2.9% ↑ 496%$105
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $734 in Crema versus $1,297 in Rome. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 19% higher in Crema, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $57 in Crema versus $68 in Rome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $256 vs $326 – making Crema the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Crema vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Crema cheaper than Rome?
Yes – Rome is pricier by about 27%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,350 per month in Crema and $2,996 in Rome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Crema, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $734 there versus $1,297 in Rome.
Is eating out cheaper in Crema or in Rome?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $57 in Crema and $68 in Rome. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Crema and in Rome?
Groceries cost about 27% more in Rome, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,500 enough to cover costs in Crema or in Rome?
$1,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,567 in Crema and $1,997 in Rome. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Crema or in Rome?
It depends on your priorities. Rome has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,567 in Crema to $1,997 in Rome. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.