For one person, living is cheaper in India: $391 a month against $1,804 in Italy, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in India and in Italy actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $391 in India versus $1,804 in Italy.
India $391
Italy $1,804
Estimated couple costs with rent: $620 in India versus $2,778 in Italy.
India $620
Italy $2,778
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $849 in India versus $3,752 in Italy.
India $849
Italy $3,752
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,035 to $2,560, compared to $228–$812 in India. City choice carries more weight in Italy.
🌍
Living in India costs about 78% less than in Italy on average.
📊
India (71% below) and Italy (34% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
India
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.14₹203
$19.89€17.70
-89.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.52₹999
$77.0€68.5
-86.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.58₹340
$11.00€9.78
-67.45%
Cappuccino
$1.67₹158
$1.99€1.77
-16.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37₹35.48
$2.96€2.63
-87.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15₹14.18
$1.41€1.25
-89.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.84₹175
$5.60€4.98
-67.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07₹292
$5.67€5.05
-45.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.62₹58.8
$1.61€1.43
-61.49%
White Bread(500g)
$0.49₹46.73
$2.30€2.05
-78.70%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.63₹60.1
$2.99€2.66
-78.93%
Eggs
$0.96₹90.7
$4.06€3.61
-76.35%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.71₹447
$17.23€15.33
-72.66%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.92₹277
$12.68€11.28
-76.97%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$20.36€18.11
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.98₹188
$2.54€2.26
-22.05%
Banana(1kg)
$0.68₹64.4
$2.15€1.91
-68.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.02₹97.2
$2.56€2.28
-60.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.46₹43.78
$3.22€2.86
-85.71%
Potato(1kg)
$0.34₹32.20
$1.92€1.70
-82.29%
Onion(1kg)
$0.41₹39.00
$1.84€1.64
-77.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.43₹40.66
$1.51€1.34
-71.52%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31₹29.73
$0.55€0.49
-43.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.89₹464
$6.81€6.06
-28.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.25₹688
$8.03€7.15
-9.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71₹162
$1.72€1.53
-0.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74₹260
$2.37€2.11
15.61%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$5.25₹499
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.27₹25.86
$1.88€1.67
-85.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.39₹797
$43.31€38.52
-80.63%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.03₹97.8
$5.57€4.95
-81.51%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.25₹23.49
$1.63€1.45
-84.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.60₹152
$33.78€30.04
-95.26%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.13₹107
$2.04€1.81
-44.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.6K₹1.2M
$35.6K€31.7K
-64.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.1K₹1.9M
$35.4K€31.5K
-43.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$37.55₹3,566
$222€198
-83.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.47₹330
$11.43€10.17
-69.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.15₹679
$30.65€27.26
-76.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$14.58₹1,385
$52.7€46.89
-72.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.21₹684
$23.82€21.19
-69.73%
Cinema Ticket
$3.18₹302
$10.51€9.35
-69.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$56.8₹5,391
$541€481
-89.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,651₹156.7K
$11.7K€10.4K
-85.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.55₹2,141
$90.0€80.0
-74.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.54₹2,330
$39.08€34.76
-37.21%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$39.69₹3,769
$101€90.2
-60.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.84₹2,833
$132€117
-77.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$141₹13.4K
$805€716
-82.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$89.7₹8,515
$619€550
-85.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$325₹30.9K
$1,388€1,235
-76.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$207₹19.7K
$1,050€934
-80.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,214₹115.3K
$3,623€3,223
-66.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$638₹60.6K
$2,229€1,983
-71.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$434₹41.2K
$1,889€1,680
-77.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.92
3.56
150.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for India: October 10, 2026
Last update for Italy: October 11, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
India
$102 26.2%
Italy
$347 19.2% ↑ 239%$244
🏠Accommodation & Living
India
$90 23%
Italy
$619 34.3% ↑ 590%$529
🍽Eating Out
India
$65 16.7%
Italy
$273 15.1% ↑ 318%$208
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
India
$52 13.4%
Italy
$163 9% ↑ 211%$111
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
$48 12.3%
Italy
$265 14.7% ↑ 449%$216
🎉Sport & Entertainment
India
$21 5.4%
Italy
$74 4.1% ↑ 252%$53
🚌Getting Around
India
$12 3%
Italy
$65 3.6% ↑ 449%$53
🛒Groceries & Markets
India
$221 26%
Italy
$821 21.9% ↑ 272%$600
🏠Accommodation & Living
India
$207 24.4%
Italy
$1K 28% ↑ 406%$842
🍽Eating Out
India
$179 21.1%
Italy
$939 25% ↑ 424%$760
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
India
$117 13.7%
Italy
$362 9.7% ↑ 211%$246
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
$52 6.1%
Italy
$276 7.4% ↑ 434%$224
🎉Sport & Entertainment
India
$49 5.8%
Italy
$171 4.6% ↑ 249%$122
🚌Getting Around
India
$24 2.8%
Italy
$133 3.5% ↑ 453%$109
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $119 in India, $721 in Italy. Capital cities: $267 in Delhi vs $1,222 in Rome.
💰National salary averages: $411 in India, $1,888 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 506% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 630% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 486% more expensive in Italy.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 $391 per month in India and $1,804 in Italy, there's a 362% 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 cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. 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 for a central one-bedroom averages $721 in Italy and $119 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
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.