Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Milan Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Milan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,235 per month in Gent vs $2,494 in Milan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,427 per month in Gent vs $3,835 in Milan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,619 per month in Gent vs $5,176 in Milan, rent included.

Gent is about 10% cheaper than Milan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Gent and Milan sit above the global median – Gent by 67%, Milan by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.77 €19.95

$23.46 €20.55

-2.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$116 €102

$91.8 €80.4

26.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.10 €12.35

$13.15 €11.52

7.22%

Cappuccino

$4.21 €3.69

$2.19 €1.92

92.24%

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

$3.41 €2.99

$3.37 €2.95

1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 €2.88

$1.42 €1.25

131.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 €5.17

$6.84 €5.99

-13.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 €5.06

$5.80 €5.08

-0.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.12

$1.86 €1.63

-31.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 €2.39

$2.83 €2.48

-3.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 €2.10

$3.23 €2.83

-26.01%

Eggs

$4.15 €3.63

$4.22 €3.70

-1.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.13 €15.01

$19.26 €16.87

-11.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 €10.32

$13.03 €11.41

-9.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.63 €16.32

$24.52 €21.49

-24.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 €2.73

$2.92 €2.56

6.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.05

$2.39 €2.09

-2.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 €2.38

$3.34 €2.93

-18.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 €2.73

$4.01 €3.51

-22.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 €1.65

$2.61 €2.29

-27.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.87

$2.21 €1.94

-3.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.69 €1.48

-21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 €0.84

$0.69 €0.61

39.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.59 €11.03

$6.79 €5.95

85.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.84 €7.74

$9.16 €8.03

-3.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.49 €2.18

-22.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 €2.58

$3.11 €2.73

-5.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 €2.51

$2.53 €2.22

13.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 €49.79

$44.71 €39.17

27.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.14 €9.76

$7.80 €6.84

42.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 €2.35

$2.66 €2.33

0.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.9 €47.21

$39.84 €34.91

35.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.66

$2.05 €1.80

-7.32%

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

$33.0K €28.9K

$33.8K €29.6K

-2.36%

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

$38.2K €33.5K

$36.5K €32.0K

4.79%

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

$226 €198

$222 €195

1.85%

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

$22.90 €20.06

$11.53 €10.10

98.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.78 €43.61

$31.25 €27.38

59.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.07 €29.85

$75.3 €66.0

-54.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.74 €12.04

$36.51 €31.99

-62.37%

Cinema Ticket

$16.64 €14.58

$11.48 €10.06

44.95%

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

$580 €508

$902 €790

-35.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K €16.6K

$16.2K €14.2K

16.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €97.7

$113 €99.0

-1.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 €46.15

$54.4 €47.69

-3.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €92.6

$115 €100

-7.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 €140

$175 €153

-8.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 €913

$1,629 €1,427

-36.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 €792

$1,156 €1,012

-21.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 €1,546

$3,147 €2,757

-43.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 €1,269

$2,059 €1,803

-29.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,770 €5,055

$10.7K €9,356

-45.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,138 €2,749

$5,219 €4,572

-39.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,684 €3,228

$2,201 €1,928

67.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.74

3.25

15.08%

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

Last update for Gent: July 19, 2026

Last update for Milan: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,042 in Gent versus $1,629 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 67% higher in Gent, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $116 in Gent versus $92.0 in Milan. Groceries tell a different story – $348 in Gent vs $400 in Milan – so Gent 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

Gent vs Milan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Milan is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,353 per month in Gent and $3,741 in Milan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gent, 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 $2,235 in Gent and $2,494 in Milan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 27% less in Gent. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Gent, where all-in costs run around $2,235, than in Milan at $2,494. In Gent it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gent – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Gent. 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.