Cost of Living Comparison Between Florence and Rome Cost of Living Comparison Between Florence and Rome

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,457 per month in Florence vs $2,031 in Rome, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,812 per month in Florence vs $3,167 in Rome, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,167 per month in Florence vs $4,304 in Rome, rent included.

Florence costs about 21% more than Rome, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Florence and Rome sit above the global median – Florence by 79%, Rome by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.22 €24.34

$17.45 €15.05

61.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 €69.4

$70.9 €61.2

13.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.87 €12.83

$11.79 €10.17

26.12%

Cappuccino

$2.29 €1.98

$2.26 €1.95

1.33%

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

$3.28 €2.83

$3.10 €2.68

5.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.55 €1.34

-2.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 €5.88

$5.86 €5.05

16.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 €7.03

$6.82 €5.88

19.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.80 €1.56

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.28 €1.97

14.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 €2.53

$3.25 €2.80

-9.85%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.07

$4.74 €4.09

-0.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.66 €23.00

$15.31 €13.21

74.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.79 €11.03

$12.46 €10.75

2.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.99 €23.28

$19.09 €16.46

41.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 €2.58

$2.67 €2.31

11.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 €2.31

$2.47 €2.13

8.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 €2.99

$2.56 €2.21

35.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.38 €2.91

$2.44 €2.10

38.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 €2.01

$1.46 €1.26

60.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.61 €1.39

23.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.44 €1.24

31.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 €0.58

$0.51 €0.44

31.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 €6.71

$7.07 €6.10

10.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.35 €7.20

$4.54 €3.92

83.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.73 €1.49

20.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 €2.71

$2.93 €2.53

7.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.69 €1.46

20.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.19

$40.92 €35.30

11.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 €3.33

$7.64 €6.59

-49.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.78 €1.54

-29.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.62 €27.27

$34.61 €29.85

-8.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.05 €1.77

1.46%

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

$37.3K €32.2K

$37.1K €32.0K

0.51%

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

$37.0K €31.9K

$36.0K €31.0K

2.82%

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

$242 €208

$220 €190

9.93%

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

$12.43 €10.72

$12.41 €10.70

0.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.69 €29.06

$31.36 €27.05

7.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 €63.8

$68.4 €59.0

8.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 €18.95

$25.35 €21.86

-13.33%

Cinema Ticket

$13.69 €11.81

$11.50 €9.92

19.04%

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

$769 €663

$504 €435

52.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

-0.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €86.8

$74.4 €64.2

35.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.36 €34.81

$37.93 €32.71

6.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.9

$87.3 €75.3

26.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €135

$124 €107

25.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 €1,319

$1,244 €1,073

22.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 €881

$887 €765

15.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,903 €2,504

$2,637 €2,274

10.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 €1,629

$1,795 €1,548

5.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,518 €5,621

$8,673 €7,481

-24.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,939 €3,398

$3,283 €2,831

20.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,027 €1,749

$1,947 €1,679

4.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

3.52

-10.23%

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

Last update for Florence: August 31, 2026

Last update for Rome: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,529 in Florence versus $1,244 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 4% higher in Florence, 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 $80.0 in Florence versus $71.0 in Rome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $332 – making Rome 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

Florence vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,457 in Florence, $2,031 in Rome – roughly 21% apart. Florence costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,685 per month in Florence and $3,046 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,457 in Florence and $2,031 in Rome. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Rome. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rome, where all-in costs run around $2,031, than in Florence at $2,457. In Rome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Florence it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Rome has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,031 in Rome to $2,457 in Florence. 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 Rome. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Florence makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.