Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Florence and Milan

For one person, living is cheaper in Florence: $2,416 a month against $2,560 in Milan, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Florence
🇮🇹 Italy
$2,416
/mo nomad
Milan
🇮🇹 Italy
$2,560
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Florence and in Milan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Florence and in Milan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,416 per month in Florence vs $2,560 in Milan, rent included.

  • Florence $2,416
  • Milan $2,560

A couple spends around $3,684 per month in Florence vs $3,895 in Milan, rent included.

  • Florence $3,684
  • Milan $3,895

A family of three spends $4,952 per month in Florence vs $5,230 in Milan, rent included.

  • Florence $4,952
  • Milan $5,230

Florence is about 6% cheaper than Milan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Florence and Milan sit above the global median – Florence by 79%, Milan by 90%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Florence
Milan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.03 €24.04
$22.52 €20.02
20.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.7 €70.0
$89.3 €79.4
-11.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.67 €13.05
$13.16 €11.71
11.47%
Cappuccino
$2.27 €2.02
$2.13 €1.90
6.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 €2.91
$3.67 €3.26
-10.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 €1.32
$1.82 €1.62
-18.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.65 €5.91
$6.65 €5.92
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.59 €6.75
$6.64 €5.91
14.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Florence
Milan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.70 €1.51
12.94%
White Bread (500g)
$2.58 €2.29
$3.16 €2.81
-18.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.82 €2.50
$3.54 €3.15
-20.34%
Eggs
$4.67 €4.15
$4.88 €4.34
-4.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$26.16 €23.27
$22.85 €20.33
14.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.16 €10.81
$14.72 €13.09
-17.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.75 €22.90
$22.77 €20.25
13.09%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 €2.68
$3.12 €2.77
-3.53%
Banana (1kg)
$2.62 €2.33
$2.39 €2.12
9.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.26 €2.90
$3.39 €3.01
-3.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 €2.88
$4.27 €3.79
-24.12%
Potato (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.38 €2.12
-4.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$2.04 €1.82
-10.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.88 €1.67
$1.75 €1.56
7.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 €0.62
$0.57 €0.51
22.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.23 €6.43
$7.46 €6.64
-3.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.87 €7.00
$9.58 €8.52
-17.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.01 €1.79
$2.01 €1.79
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 €2.79
$2.46 €2.19
27.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Florence
Milan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.98 €1.76
$2.38 €2.12
-16.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.68 €37.96
$43.27 €38.48
-1.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.63 €3.23
$7.67 €6.82
-52.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.19 €1.06
$2.26 €2.01
-47.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.18 €27.73
$65.2 €58.0
-52.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$2.20 €1.95
-0.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9K €32.0K
$36.5K €32.4K
-1.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K €30.8K
$35.4K €31.5K
-2.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Florence
Milan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$247 €220
$247 €220
0.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.81 €10.50
$10.21 €9.08
15.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.28 €29.60
$29.16 €25.93
14.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Florence
Milan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.5 €56.5
$82.4 €73.3
-22.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.46 €19.08
$34.18 €30.40
-37.21%
Cinema Ticket
$12.64 €11.24
$12.11 €10.77
4.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Florence
Milan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$747 €664
$857 €762
-12.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.4K €14.5K
$18.6K €16.5K
-11.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Florence
Milan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.1 €85.4
$101 €90.2
-5.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.37 €35.01
$50.8 €45.21
-22.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 €96.7
$117 €104
-6.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145 €129
$167 €149
-13.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Florence
Milan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,588 €1,412
$1,731 €1,539
-8.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,034 €920
$1,169 €1,040
-11.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,779 €2,472
$3,402 €3,026
-18.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,842 €1,638
$2,036 €1,811
-9.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,269 €5,575
$10.5K €9,375
-40.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,905 €3,473
$5,240 €4,660
-25.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Florence
Milan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,980 €1,761
$2,145 €1,908
-7.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.16
3.18
-0.63%

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

Last update for Florence: October 13, 2026

Last update for Milan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Florence
$1K
Milan
$1.2K 13% $135
Groceries & Markets
Florence
$410
Milan
$417 1.7% $6.9
Eating Out
Florence
$355
Milan
$314 11.6% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Florence
$293
Milan
$286 2.2% $6.3
Clothing & Footwear
Florence
$175
Milan
$196 12.2% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Florence
$89
Milan
$107 20% $18
Getting Around
Florence
$60
Milan
$72 19.2% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,588 in Florence versus $1,731 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 8% 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 $79.0 in Florence versus $89.0 in Milan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 vs $417 – making Florence the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Florence
🇮🇹 Milan
🕒 Local time
16:42 4:42 PM
16:42 4:42 PM
Same time as Florence
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
382,808
1,394,798
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Florence vs Milan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Florence and in Milan compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,416 in Florence, $2,560 in Milan – roughly 6% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Florence compared to Milan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,623 per month in Florence and $3,841 in Milan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Florence and Milan?
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.
Which city is more expensive overall: Florence or Milan?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,416 in Florence and $2,560 in Milan. That's a gap of about 6%.
How do commuting costs compare in Florence and in Milan?
Public transport costs about 1% less in Florence. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,416 in Florence and $2,560 in Milan. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
How does quality of life compare between Florence and Milan?
It depends on your priorities. Milan has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,416 in Florence to $2,560 in Milan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Florence or Milan safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Florence and Milan?
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.

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