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Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Finland and Italy
For one person, living is cheaper in Italy: $1,825 a month against $1,935 in Finland, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. The total is higher in Finland despite lower rent and utilities.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Finland and in Italy actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,935 per month in Finland vs $1,825 in Italy, rent included.
Finland $1,935
Italy $1,825
A couple spends around $3,030 per month in Finland vs $2,790 in Italy, rent included.
Finland $3,030
Italy $2,790
A family of three spends $4,125 per month in Finland vs $3,756 in Italy, rent included.
Finland $4,125
Italy $3,756
📏
Cost ranges are similar: Finland spans $981–$2,192, Italy $1,044–$2,560. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.
🌍
The cost of living in Finland is about 6% higher than in Italy on average.
📊
Both Finland and Italy are pricier than the global median – Finland by 43%, Italy by 35%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Finland
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.53€14.76
$19.90€17.76
-16.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.0€79.4
$77.1€68.8
15.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.21€10.90
$11.41€10.19
7.01%
Cappuccino
$4.81€4.29
$2.01€1.79
139.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11€2.78
$3.13€2.79
-0.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31€2.06
$1.40€1.25
65.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.52€7.60
$5.76€5.14
47.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.78€7.84
$5.73€5.12
53.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Finland
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.35€1.21
$1.62€1.44
-16.67%
White Bread(500g)
$2.72€2.43
$2.38€2.12
14.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.64€2.36
$2.92€2.61
-9.59%
Eggs
$3.49€3.12
$4.17€3.72
-16.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.85€7.89
$17.28€15.42
-48.78%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.39€11.95
$12.73€11.36
5.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$22.42€20.01
$20.39€18.20
9.96%
Apples(1kg)
$2.67€2.39
$2.61€2.33
2.30%
Banana(1kg)
$2.10€1.87
$2.12€1.89
-0.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.44€2.18
$2.63€2.34
-7.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.32€3.86
$3.34€2.98
29.34%
Potato(1kg)
$1.29€1.15
$2.02€1.80
-36.14%
Onion(1kg)
$1.72€1.53
$1.89€1.69
-8.99%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.22€1.98
$1.56€1.39
42.31%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.87€1.67
$0.55€0.49
240.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.30€11.87
$6.84€6.10
94.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.47€12.92
$7.64€6.82
89.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.57€3.19
$1.80€1.61
98.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67€3.27
$2.40€2.14
52.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Finland
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.48€3.11
$1.86€1.66
87.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$70.3€62.8
$43.27€38.62
62.49%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.93€7.97
$5.64€5.03
58.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.38€1.24
$1.71€1.53
-19.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$66.0€58.9
$33.04€29.49
99.79%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.24€2.00
$2.11€1.88
6.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.4K€33.4K
$35.8K€31.9K
4.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.9K€33.9K
$37.4K€33.4K
1.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Finland
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$141€126
$230€205
-38.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.22€24.29
$11.60€10.35
134.66%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.45€22.72
$30.40€27.13
-16.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Finland
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.82€39.11
$53.9€48.12
-18.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.04€26.81
$24.24€21.64
23.93%
Cinema Ticket
$17.93€16.00
$10.58€9.44
69.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Finland
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$387€345
$545€487
-29.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.1K€11.7K
$11.5K€10.3K
13.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Finland
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.2€86.7
$88.4€78.9
9.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.09€35.78
$39.60€35.34
1.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$100.0€89.2
$101€90.2
-1.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$147€131
$133€119
10.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Finland
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$851€759
$799€713
6.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$704€628
$624€557
12.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,561€1,393
$1,423€1,270
9.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,211€1,081
$1,030€919
17.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,938€4,407
$3,601€3,214
37.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,932€2,617
$2,270€2,026
29.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Finland
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,033€2,707
$1,893€1,689
60.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.87
3.56
8.71%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Finland: October 17, 2026
Last update for Italy: October 18, 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
Finland
$704 36.4%
Italy
$624 34.2% ↓ 11.3%$80
🛒Groceries & Markets
Finland
$376 19.4%
Italy
$350 19.2% ↓ 7%$26
🍽Eating Out
Finland
$308 15.9%
Italy
$276 15.1% ↓ 10.6%$33
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Finland
$194 10%
Italy
$272 14.9% ↑ 40.3%$78
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Finland
$173 8.9%
Italy
$163 8.9% ↓ 5.7%$9.9
🚌Getting Around
Finland
$100 5.2%
Italy
$65 3.6% ↓ 35.2%$35
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Finland
$80 4.1%
Italy
$75 4.1% ↓ 5.8%$4.6
🏠Accommodation & Living
Finland
$1.2K 29.4%
Italy
$1K 27.4% ↓ 15%$182
🛒Groceries & Markets
Finland
$858 20.8%
Italy
$828 22.1% ↓ 3.5%$30
🍽Eating Out
Finland
$1.1K 25.6%
Italy
$945 25.2% ↓ 10.4%$110
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Finland
$221 5.4%
Italy
$283 7.5% ↑ 28.3%$62
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Finland
$384 9.3%
Italy
$362 9.6% ↓ 5.7%$22
🚌Getting Around
Finland
$207 5%
Italy
$134 3.6% ↓ 35.6%$74
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Finland
$189 4.6%
Italy
$174 4.6% ↓ 7.9%$15
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $791 in Finland vs $728 in Italy. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,225 in Helsinki and $1,191 in Rome.
💰Average salary: $2,891 in Finland vs $1,892 in Italy. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 9% higher in Finland.
⭐Dining out costs 21% more in Finland.
⭐Public transport is 53% more expensive in Finland.
⭐Salaries are 53% higher in Finland, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Finland.
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
Finland vs Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Finland more expensive than Italy?
Italy is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 6% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Finland: a central one-bedroom averages $791 versus $728 in Italy.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Italy, adding to the overall 6% price gap.
Should I move to Finland or to Italy?
Italy is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.