Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Cook Islands Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Cook Islands

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,718 in Italy versus $1,103 in Cook Islands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,623 in Italy versus $1,682 in Cook Islands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,527 in Italy versus $2,260 in Cook Islands.

Living in Italy is roughly 56% more expensive than Cook Islands on average.

Italy (28% above) and Cook Islands (18% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,195 to $2,531, compared to $850โ€“$1,355 in Cook Islands. City choice carries more weight in Italy.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.20 โ‚ฌ14.71
$12.08 NZ$20.66
42.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.2 โ‚ฌ69.4
$60.8 NZ$104
33.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.40 โ‚ฌ9.75
$9.07 NZ$15.51
25.69%
Cappuccino
$1.91 โ‚ฌ1.63
$4.17 NZ$7.13
-54.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 โ‚ฌ2.45
$2.49 NZ$4.26
14.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 โ‚ฌ1.13
$2.37 NZ$4.05
-43.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.89 โ‚ฌ5.04
$6.69 NZ$11.44
-11.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.12 โ‚ฌ4.38
$5.29 NZ$9.05
-3.21%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 โ‚ฌ1.40
$2.17 NZ$3.70
-24.42%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 โ‚ฌ1.96
$3.12 NZ$5.34
-26.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.03 โ‚ฌ2.59
$1.67 NZ$2.86
81.44%
Eggs
$4.09 โ‚ฌ3.50
$5.67 NZ$9.70
-27.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.26 โ‚ฌ13.90
$9.78 NZ$16.72
66.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.24 โ‚ฌ10.47
$7.68 NZ$13.13
59.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.45 โ‚ฌ17.48
$8.89 NZ$15.21
130.03%
Apples (1kg)
$2.55 โ‚ฌ2.18
$2.94 NZ$5.03
-13.27%
Banana (1kg)
$2.12 โ‚ฌ1.82
$2.42 NZ$4.14
-12.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.68 โ‚ฌ2.30
$3.62 NZ$6.18
-25.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.38 โ‚ฌ2.89
$6.40 NZ$10.95
-47.19%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 โ‚ฌ1.71
$2.38 NZ$4.08
-15.97%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 โ‚ฌ1.60
$1.92 NZ$3.29
-2.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 โ‚ฌ1.26
$2.17 NZ$3.71
-32.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 โ‚ฌ0.46
$3.26 NZ$5.58
-83.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.75 โ‚ฌ5.77
$15.29 NZ$26.14
-55.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.18 โ‚ฌ6.14
$13.21 NZ$22.58
-45.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 โ‚ฌ1.54
$3.53 NZ$6.04
-49.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 โ‚ฌ2.09
$4.92 NZ$8.42
-50.20%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.02 โ‚ฌ1.73
$3.09 NZ$5.28
-34.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.49 โ‚ฌ35.47
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 โ‚ฌ4.93
$21.22 NZ$36.29
-72.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 โ‚ฌ1.31
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.33 โ‚ฌ30.21
$36.64 NZ$62.7
-3.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 โ‚ฌ1.81
$1.76 NZ$3.00
20.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3K โ‚ฌ27.6K
$12.0K NZ$20.5K
168.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K โ‚ฌ28.6K
-
-
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$224 โ‚ฌ191
$105 NZ$179
113.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.24 โ‚ฌ11.32
$29.92 NZ$51.2
-55.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.96 โ‚ฌ26.47
$106 NZ$181
-70.72%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.6 โ‚ฌ48.41
$24.82 NZ$42.44
128.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.11 โ‚ฌ21.47
$23.94 NZ$40.94
4.89%
Cinema Ticket
$10.32 โ‚ฌ8.83
$6.99 NZ$11.96
47.64%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$563 โ‚ฌ482
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K โ‚ฌ9,084
$1,443 NZ$2,467
636.54%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.1 โ‚ฌ77.1
$66.8 NZ$114
34.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.60 โ‚ฌ34.71
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 โ‚ฌ85.6
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 โ‚ฌ113
$75.4 NZ$129
75.72%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$864 โ‚ฌ739
$314 NZ$537
174.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$668 โ‚ฌ571
$321 NZ$549
108.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,473 โ‚ฌ1,260
$354 NZ$605
316.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,088 โ‚ฌ930
$475 NZ$812
129.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,808 โ‚ฌ3,256
$5,153 NZ$8,812
-26.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,454 โ‚ฌ2,098
$751 NZ$1,284
226.82%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,935 โ‚ฌ1,655
$4,164 NZ$7,120
-53.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
8
-44.88%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Italy: April 21, 2026

Last update for Cook Islands: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $323 in Cook Islands. Capital cities: $1,366 in Rome vs $156 in Avarua.

National salary averages: $1,935 in Italy, $4,055 in Cook Islands. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money โ€“ weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 130% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 25% more in Italy.

Salaries are 110% higher in Cook Islands, giving Cook Islands 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 Cook Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Cook Islands or Italy?
At $1,103 per month in Cook Islands and $1,863 in Italy, there's a 69% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city โ€“ the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Cook Islands or Italy?
Cook Islands is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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.
How do rents compare between Cook Islands and Italy?
Rent in Italy beats Cook Islands across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Cook Islands vs Italy?
In Cook Islands, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Italy, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital โ€“ you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Cook Islands and Italy?
It depends on what you're after. Cook Islands 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

Similar countries