Cost of Living Comparison Between India and ItalyCost of Living Comparison Between India and Italy
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $388 in India versus $1,718 in Italy.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $617 in India versus $2,621 in Italy.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $846 in India versus $3,524 in Italy.
🌍Living in India costs about 77% less than in Italy on average.
📊India (71% below) and Italy (29% above) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,176 to $2,467, compared to $265–$913 in India. City choice carries more weight in Italy.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.53₹244
$17.58€15.38
-85.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.73₹1,321
$82.5€72.1
-83.35%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.00₹385
$11.72€10.25
-65.87%
Cappuccino
$1.91₹184
$1.92€1.68
-0.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43₹41.85
$2.99€2.62
-85.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17₹16.11
$1.36€1.19
-87.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.93₹186
$5.76€5.04
-66.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54₹341
$5.22€4.57
-32.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.73₹69.9
$1.69€1.48
-56.80%
White Bread(500g)
$0.52₹50.1
$2.33€2.04
-77.68%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.73₹69.9
$3.05€2.67
-76.07%
Eggs
$0.95₹91.4
$3.99€3.49
-76.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.32₹512
$16.68€14.59
-68.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.10₹299
$12.57€11.00
-75.34%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$20.53€17.96
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.16₹208
$2.56€2.24
-15.62%
Banana(1kg)
$0.70₹67.7
$2.20€1.93
-68.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.05₹101
$2.68€2.34
-60.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.53₹50.8
$3.37€2.95
-84.27%
Potato(1kg)
$0.39₹37.65
$2.04€1.78
-80.88%
Onion(1kg)
$0.48₹46.63
$1.88€1.65
-74.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.52₹49.78
$1.47€1.29
-64.63%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.36₹34.33
$0.54€0.47
-33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.02₹387
$7.00€6.12
-42.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.28₹701
$7.09€6.20
2.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90₹183
$1.80€1.58
5.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03₹292
$2.51€2.19
20.72%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$5.84₹562
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.36₹34.66
$1.96€1.71
-81.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.84₹948
$41.58€36.38
-76.33%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.95₹91.8
$5.80€5.08
-83.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30₹29.03
$1.60€1.40
-81.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.79₹172
$35.07€30.68
-94.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.21₹117
$2.13€1.86
-43.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.9K₹1.3M
$32.6K€28.5K
-57.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4K₹2.2M
$33.8K€29.6K
-33.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.16₹3,866
$225€197
-82.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.76₹362
$13.14€11.50
-71.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.04₹774
$31.19€27.29
-74.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$16.25₹1,565
$57.2€50.0
-71.57%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.56₹728
$25.85€22.61
-70.75%
Cinema Ticket
$3.43₹330
$10.34€9.05
-66.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$69.7₹6,713
$564€493
-87.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,852₹178.3K
$10.3K€9,047
-82.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.59₹2,463
$91.9€80.4
-72.16%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.30₹2,531
$40.54€35.47
-35.13%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$44.89₹4,321
$98.2€85.9
-54.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.20₹3,196
$132€116
-74.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$174₹16.8K
$855€748
-79.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$112₹10.8K
$663€580
-83.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$405₹38.9K
$1,522€1,332
-73.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$258₹24.8K
$1,089€953
-76.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,263₹121.6K
$3,747€3,278
-66.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$653₹62.8K
$2,299€2,011
-71.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$424₹40.8K
$1,897€1,659
-77.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.02
4.41
104.54%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for India: July 12, 2026
Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $127 in India, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $242 in Delhi vs $1,328 in Rome.
💰National salary averages: $398 in India, $1,912 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 484% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 573% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 389% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 380% higher in Italy.
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
India vs Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Italy?
At $589 per month in India and $1,822 in Italy, there's a 209% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in India: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy is consistently higher than in India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Italy?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Italy?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.