Cost of Living Comparison Between Fayetteville, NC and Rome Cost of Living Comparison Between Fayetteville, NC and Rome

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,881 per month in Fayetteville, NC vs $2,055 in Rome, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,432 per month in Fayetteville, NC vs $3,095 in Rome, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,982 per month in Fayetteville, NC vs $4,135 in Rome, rent included.

Fayetteville, NC costs about 40% more than Rome, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Fayetteville, NC and Rome sit above the global median – Fayetteville, NC by 115%, Rome by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.15 $15.15

$17.51 €14.93

-13.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 $60.6

$74.8 €63.8

-19.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 $10.97

$11.70 €9.98

-6.24%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$1.76 €1.51

182.39%

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

$2.17 $2.17

$2.43 €2.07

-10.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.28 €1.09

32.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.02 $4.02

$5.65 €4.82

-28.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 $6.43

$5.15 €4.40

24.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.76 €1.50

-46.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.08 €1.78

56.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.99 €2.55

1.34%

Eggs

$3.50 $3.50

$4.43 €3.78

-20.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 $7.91

$17.38 €14.82

-54.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 $8.36

$12.08 €10.31

-30.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.30 $12.30

$20.52 €17.50

-40.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$2.36 €2.01

78.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.34 €2.00

-6.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$1.92 €1.64

153.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$2.59 €2.21

78.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.76 €1.50

39.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.91 €1.63

50.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.27 €1.09

42.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$0.52 €0.44

250.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.68 $7.68

$7.09 €6.05

8.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 $12.42

$5.18 €4.42

139.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.91 €1.63

-11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.69 €2.30

-45.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.72 €1.47

18.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.98 €34.11

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$5.11 €4.36

-61.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.58 €1.35

19.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.6 $50.6

$34.36 €29.31

47.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$2.00 €1.71

-61.00%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$28.9K €24.6K

2.20%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$29.6K €25.3K

-14.70%

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

$145 $145

$219 €187

-33.76%

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

$74.3 $74.3

$10.93 €9.32

579.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.7 $72.7

$31.38 €26.77

131.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.13 $23.13

$64.4 €55.0

-64.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.38 $40.38

$23.82 €20.32

69.52%

Cinema Ticket

$12.03 $12.03

$11.67 €9.96

3.08%

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

$901 $901

$530 €452

69.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

$10.7K €9,134

136.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 $54.2

$72.8 €62.1

-25.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.01 $40.01

$35.12 €29.96

13.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 $63.7

$84.7 €72.2

-24.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 $87.8

$123 €105

-28.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 $1,487

$1,366 €1,166

8.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 $1,820

$874 €746

108.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,778 $1,778

$2,608 €2,225

-31.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 $1,640

$1,633 €1,393

0.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,671 $1,671

$9,002 €7,679

-81.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,717 $1,717

$3,563 €3,039

-51.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,982 $2,982

$2,139 €1,824

39.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

3.95

63.29%

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

Last update for Fayetteville, NC: April 20, 2026

Last update for Rome: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,487 in Fayetteville, NC versus $1,366 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 39% higher in Fayetteville, NC, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Fayetteville, NC versus $75 in Rome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $334 – making Fayetteville, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Fayetteville, NC vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fayetteville, NC costs about 40% more than Rome, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,321 per month in Fayetteville, NC and $3,082 in Rome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rome, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Fayetteville, NC and $75.0 in Rome. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Fayetteville, NC – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rome, where all-in costs run around $2,055, than in Fayetteville, NC at $2,881. In Rome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fayetteville, NC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rome costs $2,055 versus $2,881 in Fayetteville, NC. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Rome. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fayetteville, NC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.