Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Austria
For one person, living is cheaper in Italy: $1,843 a month against $2,242 in Austria, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most 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 Italy and in Austria actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,843 in Italy versus $2,242 in Austria.
Italy $1,843
Austria $2,242
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,816 in Italy versus $3,363 in Austria.
Italy $2,816
Austria $3,363
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,788 in Italy versus $4,484 in Austria.
Italy $3,788
Austria $4,484
📏
Italy ($1,038–$2,555) and Austria ($1,363–$2,695) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.
🌍
Living in Italy costs about 18% less than in Austria on average.
📊
Both countries sit above the global median: Italy 35% above, Austria 65% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Austria
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.46€18.32
$17.71€15.86
15.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5€71.2
$77.0€69.0
3.26%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.15€9.99
$13.66€12.23
-18.37%
Cappuccino
$2.04€1.83
$4.52€4.05
-54.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10€2.78
$3.73€3.34
-16.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40€1.25
$2.95€2.64
-52.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.51€4.94
$5.50€4.93
0.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74€5.14
$5.61€5.02
2.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Austria
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.57€1.41
$1.74€1.55
-9.77%
White Bread(500g)
$2.38€2.13
$2.63€2.36
-9.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.90€2.60
$2.33€2.08
24.46%
Eggs
$4.07€3.65
$4.74€4.24
-14.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.44€15.62
$18.99€17.01
-8.16%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.56€11.25
$14.15€12.67
-11.24%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.17€18.06
$22.18€19.86
-9.06%
Apples(1kg)
$2.58€2.31
$2.84€2.54
-9.15%
Banana(1kg)
$2.19€1.96
$2.37€2.13
-7.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.68€2.40
$3.14€2.82
-14.65%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.27€2.93
$4.15€3.72
-21.20%
Potato(1kg)
$1.90€1.70
$2.17€1.94
-12.44%
Onion(1kg)
$1.82€1.63
$2.17€1.94
-16.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.57€1.40
$1.95€1.75
-19.49%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.49
$0.92€0.83
-40.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.69€5.99
$7.67€6.87
-12.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.99€7.15
$8.93€8.00
-10.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77€1.59
$1.45€1.30
22.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35€2.11
$1.95€1.74
20.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Austria
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.91€1.71
$3.45€3.09
-44.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$43.44€38.90
$61.5€55.1
-29.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.62€5.03
$5.54€4.96
1.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.71€1.54
$2.47€2.21
-30.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.64€30.12
$38.48€34.47
-12.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.03€1.82
$1.89€1.69
7.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K€31.6K
$30.4K€27.2K
16.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.7K€32.9K
$31.6K€28.3K
16.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Austria
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$227€203
$348€312
-34.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59€10.38
$15.29€13.69
-24.20%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38€27.21
$34.39€30.80
-11.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Austria
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.8€46.37
$41.15€36.86
25.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.70€21.22
$25.02€22.41
-5.28%
Cinema Ticket
$10.60€9.50
$13.73€12.30
-22.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Austria
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$568€508
$438€392
29.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K€10.3K
$16.8K€15.0K
-31.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Austria
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.5€81.1
$97.0€86.9
-6.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.55€34.53
$43.31€38.79
-10.99%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€91.9
$104€93.3
-1.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131€117
$130€116
0.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Austria
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826€739
$1,007€902
-18.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$646€579
$824€738
-21.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,400€1,254
$1,828€1,637
-23.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,054€944
$1,435€1,286
-26.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,662€3,280
$7,398€6,626
-50.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,301€2,061
$4,695€4,205
-50.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Austria
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,886€1,689
$3,083€2,761
-38.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.56
3.52
1.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Italy: October 24, 2026
Last update for Austria: October 27, 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.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Italy
$646 35.1%
Austria
$824 36.8% ↑ 27.6%$178
🛒Groceries & Markets
Italy
$348 18.9%
Austria
$387 17.3% ↑ 11.2%$39
🍽Eating Out
Italy
$279 15.1%
Austria
$302 13.5% ↑ 8.5%$24
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$269 14.6%
Austria
$398 17.8% ↑ 48.2%$129
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$163 8.9%
Austria
$168 7.5% ↑ 3.1%$5.1
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$73 4%
Austria
$69 3.1% ↓ 6%$4.4
🚌Getting Around
Italy
$65 3.5%
Austria
$93 4.2% ↑ 42.8%$28
🏠Accommodation & Living
Italy
$1.1K 27.8%
Austria
$1.4K 32% ↑ 36.1%$381
🛒Groceries & Markets
Italy
$823 21.7%
Austria
$918 20.5% ↑ 11.6%$96
🍽Eating Out
Italy
$964 25.5%
Austria
$987 22% ↑ 2.4%$23
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$280 7.4%
Austria
$413 9.2% ↑ 47.5%$133
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$363 9.6%
Austria
$374 8.3% ↑ 3.2%$11
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$170 4.5%
Austria
$162 3.6% ↓ 4.4%$7.4
🚌Getting Around
Italy
$134 3.6%
Austria
$193 4.3% ↑ 43.9%$59
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $729 in Italy, $1,011 in Austria. Capital cities: $1,297 in Rome vs $1,359 in Vienna.
💰National salary averages: $1,890 in Italy, $2,850 in Austria. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 39% higher in Austria.
⭐Public transport is 33% more expensive in Austria.
⭐Salaries are 51% higher in Austria, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Austria.
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
Italy vs Austria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Austria and Italy?
At $2,242 per month in Austria and $1,843 in Italy, Italy comes out about 18% cheaper. 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 Italy: 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 $1,011 in Austria and $729 in Italy. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Should I move to Austria or to Italy?
It depends on what you’re after: Italy wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.