Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Benin Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Benin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,717 per month in Italy vs $859 in Benin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,624 per month in Italy vs $1,277 in Benin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,530 per month in Italy vs $1,695 in Benin, rent included.

Italy costs about 100% more than Benin on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Italy sits 28% above the global median, while Benin is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Italy has a wider regional cost range ($1,170$2,508) than Benin ($748$969), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Italy.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Benin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.44 €15.01
$3.49 F CFA 1,967
399.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5 €68.4
$26.82 F CFA 15.1K
196.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 €10.12
$6.35 F CFA 3,585
85.20%
Cappuccino
$2.00 €1.72
$4.50 F CFA 2,541
-55.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.59
$1.03 F CFA 584
191.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.16
$0.95 F CFA 536
42.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.94 €5.11
$1.38 F CFA 781
330.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 €4.61
$3.45 F CFA 1,945
55.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Benin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 €1.41
$2.05 F CFA 1,159
-20.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.08
$1.02 F CFA 577
136.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.99 €2.58
$1.99 F CFA 1,122
50.25%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.41
$2.31 F CFA 1,306
71.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.84 €14.50
$9.66 F CFA 5,451
74.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.43 €10.70
$4.59 F CFA 2,589
170.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.29 €17.47
$5.45 F CFA 3,075
272.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.47 €2.13
$2.70 F CFA 1,526
-8.52%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.85
$1.22 F CFA 687
76.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.28
$0.90 F CFA 507
194.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.40 €2.92
$1.61 F CFA 907
111.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 €1.65
$1.15 F CFA 648
66.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.56
$1.14 F CFA 645
58.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.33
$0.68 F CFA 386
127.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.47
$1.12 F CFA 634
-51.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79 €5.85
$1.04 F CFA 587
552.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.18 €6.18
$4.35 F CFA 2,456
65.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.55
$1.04 F CFA 584
73.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 €2.08
$1.69 F CFA 955
43.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Benin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.00 €1.72
$1.73 F CFA 979
15.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.35 €36.45
$7.60 F CFA 4,287
457.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.94 €5.12
$1.61 F CFA 909
268.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 €1.30
$1.56 F CFA 878
-3.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.04 €29.31
$1.80 F CFA 1,017
1791.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 €1.77
$1.05 F CFA 590
95.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K €28.3K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K €29.0K
$24.9K F CFA 14.0M
35.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Benin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €194
$170 F CFA 96.2K
32.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.25 €11.41
$28.19 F CFA 15.9K
-53.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.95 €26.64
$62.8 F CFA 35.5K
-50.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Benin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.7 €47.99
$42.73 F CFA 24.1K
30.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.15 €21.65
$5.20 F CFA 2,936
383.65%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25 €8.82
$6.11 F CFA 3,446
67.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Benin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$576 €496
$184 F CFA 104.1K
212.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €9,005
$6,487 F CFA 3.7M
61.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Benin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8 €79.1
$17.82 F CFA 10.1K
415.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72 €35.05
$9.01 F CFA 5,084
351.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 €84.4
$17.93 F CFA 10.1K
446.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €113
$40.64 F CFA 22.9K
221.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Benin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$860 €740
$194 F CFA 109.4K
343.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 €574
$144 F CFA 81.1K
364.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,475 €1,270
$523 F CFA 295.2K
181.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,087 €936
$311 F CFA 175.5K
249.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,850 €3,315
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,359 €2,030
$2,681 F CFA 1.5M
-12.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Benin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,933 €1,664
$232 F CFA 131.0K
733.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
5
-11.80%

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

Last update for Italy: May 31, 2026

Last update for Benin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $1,949 in Italy vs $90.0 in Benin. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 389% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 174% more in Italy.

Public transport is 1000% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 2066% higher in Italy, giving Italy stronger purchasing power.

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 Benin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Benin and Italy compare in cost of living?
Benin is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 114% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Benin and Italy?
Housing costs more in Italy, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Italy consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Benin or Italy?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Benin, contributing to the overall 114% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $1,200 go in Benin vs Italy?
$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Benin, but in Italy it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Benin and Italy?
Benin is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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