Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and the Central African Republic

For one person, living is cheaper in the Central African Republic: $422 a month against $1,843 in Italy, rent and utilities included – about $17,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Italy
Central African Republic
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,843
/mo nomad
🇨🇫 Central African Republic
$422
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Italy and in the Central African Republic

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 the Central African Republic actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,843 in Italy versus $422 in the Central African Republic.

  • Italy $1,843
  • Central African Republic $422

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,816 in Italy versus $670 in the Central African Republic.

  • Italy $2,816
  • Central African Republic $670

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,788 in Italy versus $919 in the Central African Republic.

  • Italy $3,788
  • Central African Republic $919

Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,038 to $2,555, compared to $424–$424 in the Central African Republic. City choice carries more weight in Italy.

Living in Italy is roughly 337% more expensive than in the Central African Republic on average.

Italy (35% above) and the Central African Republic (69% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Central African Republic
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.46 €18.38
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5 €71.4
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.15 €10.02
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.04 €1.83
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 €2.79
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 €1.26
$1.72 FCFA 1,015
-18.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.51 €4.95
$3.35 FCFA 1,972
64.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74 €5.16
$5.00 FCFA 2,947
14.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Central African Republic
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 €1.41
$5.03 FCFA 2,964
-68.79%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 €2.14
$4.37 FCFA 2,574
-45.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.90 €2.60
$4.24 FCFA 2,497
-31.60%
Eggs
$4.07 €3.66
$5.04 FCFA 2,966
-19.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.44 €15.67
$8.43 FCFA 4,965
106.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.56 €11.28
$8.40 FCFA 4,948
49.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.17 €18.12
$3.51 FCFA 2,067
474.64%
Apples (1kg)
$2.58 €2.32
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.19 €1.97
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.68 €2.41
$6.82 FCFA 4,019
-60.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.27 €2.94
$5.08 FCFA 2,994
-35.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 €1.71
$4.15 FCFA 2,444
-54.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$6.08 FCFA 3,579
-70.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.57 €1.41
$2.49 FCFA 1,465
-36.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$2.51 FCFA 1,480
-78.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.69 €6.01
$4.33 FCFA 2,548
54.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.99 €7.18
$11.69 FCFA 6,885
-31.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 €1.59
$5.99 FCFA 3,531
-70.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 €2.11
$4.29 FCFA 2,526
-45.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Central African Republic
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.91 €1.72
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.44 €39.03
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.62 €5.05
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 €1.54
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.64 €30.22
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 €1.82
$2.60 FCFA 1,532
-21.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K €31.7K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.7K €33.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Central African Republic
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$227 €204
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 €10.41
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.30
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Central African Republic
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.8 €46.52
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.70 €21.29
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.60 €9.53
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Central African Republic
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 €510
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K €10.4K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Central African Republic
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.5 €81.3
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.55 €34.64
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €92.2
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €118
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Central African Republic
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$826 €742
$1,376 FCFA 810.6K
-40.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$646 €581
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,400 €1,258
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,054 €947
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,662 €3,290
$1,351 FCFA 795.9K
171.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,301 €2,068
$1,599 FCFA 941.9K
43.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Central African Republic
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,886 €1,695
$847 FCFA 498.6K
122.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.56
0
-

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

Last update for Italy: October 24, 2026

Last update for the Central African Republic: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Italy
$646
Central African Republic
–
Groceries & Markets
Italy
$348
Central African Republic
–
Eating Out
Italy
$279
Central African Republic
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$269
Central African Republic
–
Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$163
Central African Republic
–
Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$73
Central African Republic
–
Getting Around
Italy
$65
Central African Republic
–

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $729 in Italy, $1,353 in the Central African Republic. Capital cities: $1,297 in Rome vs $1,353 in Bangui.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 86% higher in the Central African Republic.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Italy
🇨🇫 Central African Republic
🕒 Local time
12:19 12:19 PM
12:19 12:19 PM
Same time as Italy
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
58,850,717
5,152,421
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

XAF, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 589 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.7 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Italy Central African Republic 4,220 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Italy
  • Central African Republic

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 Central African Republic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between the Central African Republic and Italy?
At $422 per month in the Central African Republic and $1,843 in Italy, there’s a 337% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Does the cost gap hold in every spending category?
Overall, the Central African Republic is the cheaper option, but not in every category: rent, groceries, transport, and eating out each follow their own pattern. Check the categories you spend the most on before deciding.
Should I move to the Central African Republic or to Italy?
It depends on what you’re after: the Central African Republic wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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