Cost of Living Comparison Between Ferrara and Milan Cost of Living Comparison Between Ferrara and Milan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,616 in Ferrara versus $2,508 in Milan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,515 in Ferrara versus $3,853 in Milan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,415 in Ferrara versus $5,197 in Milan.

Living in Ferrara costs roughly 36% less than in Milan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ferrara 21% above, Milan 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.72 €16.12

$23.06 €19.86

-18.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 €58.8

$92.1 €79.3

-25.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.63 €10.02

$12.73 €10.96

-8.64%

Cappuccino

$1.99 €1.71

$2.17 €1.87

-8.29%

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

$2.52 €2.17

$3.23 €2.78

-21.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.50 €1.29

-14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.66 €4.88

$7.11 €6.12

-20.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.95

$5.71 €4.92

-19.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.84 €1.58

-18.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 €2.11

$2.81 €2.42

-12.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 €2.40

$3.34 €2.87

-16.47%

Eggs

$4.29 €3.69

$4.31 €3.71

-0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 €12.67

$19.74 €17.00

-25.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.79 €9.29

$13.02 €11.21

-17.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.70 €16.96

$24.69 €21.26

-20.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.84 €2.45

-31.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.31 €1.99

-19.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 €2.79

$3.37 €2.90

-3.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$3.94 €3.39

-10.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.59 €2.23

-32.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 €1.45

$2.19 €1.88

-23.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.63 €1.40

-10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 €0.30

$0.70 €0.60

-51.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 €5.41

$6.88 €5.92

-8.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.56 €3.92

$9.11 €7.84

-49.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.36

$2.35 €2.02

-32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 €1.42

$3.00 €2.58

-45.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.49 €2.14

-30.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.66 €30.71

$45.58 €39.25

-21.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 €6.90

$8.13 €7.00

-1.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 €1.58

$2.63 €2.26

-30.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.39 €29.61

$39.61 €34.11

-13.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.05 €1.76

1.95%

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

$37.7K €32.5K

$33.4K €28.8K

12.93%

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

$40.1K €34.5K

$36.4K €31.3K

10.17%

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

$192 €166

$216 €186

-10.73%

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

$13.00 €11.19

$11.71 €10.08

11.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 €26.96

$30.47 €26.24

2.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.05 €29.32

$75.1 €64.7

-54.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.97 €14.61

$37.13 €31.97

-54.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.99 €7.74

$11.74 €10.11

-23.42%

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

$350 €301

$875 €753

-60.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,852 €5,900

$16.7K €14.4K

-58.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.3 €70.8

$115 €99.1

-28.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.75 €35.09

$53.2 €45.85

-23.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.9

$115 €99.0

-8.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 €79.8

$171 €147

-45.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 €549

$1,612 €1,388

-60.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 €490

$1,137 €979

-49.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 €1,113

$3,138 €2,702

-58.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$933 €803

$2,084 €1,795

-55.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 €2,093

$11.1K €9,515

-78.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,849 €1,592

$5,565 €4,792

-66.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,685 €1,451

$2,270 €1,955

-25.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

3.25

36.62%

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

Last update for Ferrara: May 30, 2026

Last update for Milan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $638 in Ferrara and $1,612 in Milan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milan pays 35% 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: $68.0 in Ferrara vs $92.0 in Milan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $400 per month, with Ferrara 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

Ferrara vs Milan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ferrara wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Milan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ferrara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Milan earns 35% less. 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: $638 in Ferrara versus $1,612 in Milan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ferrara – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $92.0 in Milan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,616 per month in Ferrara versus $2,508 in Milan – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,616 in Ferrara versus $2,508 in Milan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ferrara but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Ferrara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ferrara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,616 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ferrara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ferrara and Milan 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 Ferrara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.