Cost of Living Comparison Between Florence and Milan Cost of Living Comparison Between Florence and Milan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,128 per month in Florence vs $2,508 in Milan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,310 per month in Florence vs $3,853 in Milan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,493 per month in Florence vs $5,197 in Milan, rent included.

Florence is about 15% cheaper than Milan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Florence and Milan sit above the global median – Florence by 59%, Milan by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.77 €19.59

$23.06 €19.84

-1.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.9 €79.9

$92.1 €79.2

0.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.73 €10.09

$12.73 €10.95

-7.86%

Cappuccino

$1.93 €1.66

$2.17 €1.87

-11.06%

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

$3.34 €2.87

$3.23 €2.78

3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.50 €1.29

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 €6.07

$7.11 €6.11

-0.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 €6.11

$5.71 €4.92

24.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.84 €1.58

-11.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.81 €2.42

-18.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.34 €2.87

28.44%

Eggs

$4.36 €3.75

$4.31 €3.70

1.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.70 €17.81

$19.74 €16.98

4.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.17 €9.61

$13.02 €11.20

-14.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.76 €17.85

$24.69 €21.24

-15.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$2.84 €2.45

-2.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.31 €1.99

-19.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 €2.48

$3.37 €2.90

-14.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 €3.07

$3.94 €3.39

-9.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 €1.40

$2.59 €2.23

-37.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.19 €1.88

-21.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 €1.44

$1.63 €1.40

3.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

$0.70 €0.60

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 €6.05

$6.88 €5.91

2.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 €7.09

$9.11 €7.83

-9.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.43

$2.35 €2.02

-29.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 €2.11

$3.00 €2.58

-18.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.49 €2.14

-18.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.22 €37.18

$45.58 €39.21

-5.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 €5.10

$8.13 €6.99

-27.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 €1.53

$2.63 €2.26

-32.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.47 €31.38

$39.61 €34.08

-7.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 €1.82

$2.05 €1.76

3.41%

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

$33.0K €28.4K

$33.4K €28.8K

-1.13%

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

$31.5K €27.1K

$36.4K €31.3K

-13.45%

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

$206 €177

$216 €185

-4.62%

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

$13.67 €11.76

$11.71 €10.07

16.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.98 €30.09

$30.47 €26.21

14.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.5 €73.6

$75.1 €64.6

13.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.85 €20.51

$37.13 €31.94

-35.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.79 €10.14

$11.74 €10.10

0.43%

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

$765 €658

$875 €753

-12.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K €16.9K

$16.7K €14.4K

17.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.9

$115 €99.0

-23.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.84 €27.39

$53.2 €45.80

-40.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 €73.2

$115 €98.9

-25.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 €127

$171 €147

-13.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 €960

$1,612 €1,387

-30.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$883 €759

$1,137 €978

-22.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 €1,954

$3,138 €2,699

-27.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,528 €1,315

$2,084 €1,793

-26.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,579 €5,659

$11.1K €9,505

-40.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,016 €3,455

$5,565 €4,787

-27.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,061 €1,773

$2,270 €1,953

-9.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

3.25

21.85%

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

Last update for Florence: June 1, 2026

Last update for Milan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Florence versus $1,612 in Milan. 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 10% higher in Milan, 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 $93.0 in Florence versus $92.0 in Milan. Groceries tell a different story – $360 in Florence vs $400 in Milan – so Florence wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Florence vs Milan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,128 in Florence, $2,508 in Milan – roughly 18% apart. Milan costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,191 per month in Florence and $3,762 in Milan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,128 in Florence and $2,508 in Milan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Florence. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Florence, where all-in costs run around $2,128, than in Milan at $2,508. In Florence it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Milan has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,128 in Florence to $2,508 in Milan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Florence. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Milan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.