๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,718 in Italy versus $1,103 in Cook Islands.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,623 in Italy versus $1,682 in Cook Islands.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,527 in Italy versus $2,260 in Cook Islands.
๐Living in Italy is roughly 56% more expensive than Cook Islands on average.
๐Italy (28% above) and Cook Islands (18% below) straddle the global median.
๐Internal 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
๐ฝ Eating Out
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.20โฌ14.71
$12.08NZ$20.66
42.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.2โฌ69.4
$60.8NZ$104
33.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.40โฌ9.75
$9.07NZ$15.51
25.69%
Cappuccino
$1.91โฌ1.63
$4.17NZ$7.13
-54.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86โฌ2.45
$2.49NZ$4.26
14.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33โฌ1.13
$2.37NZ$4.05
-43.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.89โฌ5.04
$6.69NZ$11.44
-11.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.12โฌ4.38
$5.29NZ$9.05
-3.21%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64โฌ1.40
$2.17NZ$3.70
-24.42%
White Bread(500g)
$2.30โฌ1.96
$3.12NZ$5.34
-26.28%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.03โฌ2.59
$1.67NZ$2.86
81.44%
Eggs
$4.09โฌ3.50
$5.67NZ$9.70
-27.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.26โฌ13.90
$9.78NZ$16.72
66.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.24โฌ10.47
$7.68NZ$13.13
59.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.45โฌ17.48
$8.89NZ$15.21
130.03%
Apples(1kg)
$2.55โฌ2.18
$2.94NZ$5.03
-13.27%
Banana(1kg)
$2.12โฌ1.82
$2.42NZ$4.14
-12.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.68โฌ2.30
$3.62NZ$6.18
-25.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.38โฌ2.89
$6.40NZ$10.95
-47.19%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00โฌ1.71
$2.38NZ$4.08
-15.97%
Onion(1kg)
$1.88โฌ1.60
$1.92NZ$3.29
-2.08%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.47โฌ1.26
$2.17NZ$3.71
-32.26%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54โฌ0.46
$3.26NZ$5.58
-83.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.75โฌ5.77
$15.29NZ$26.14
-55.85%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.18โฌ6.14
$13.21NZ$22.58
-45.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80โฌ1.54
$3.53NZ$6.04
-49.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45โฌ2.09
$4.92NZ$8.42
-50.20%
๐ Getting Around
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.02โฌ1.73
$3.09NZ$5.28
-34.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.49โฌ35.47
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.77โฌ4.93
$21.22NZ$36.29
-72.81%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.53โฌ1.31
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$35.33โฌ30.21
$36.64NZ$62.7
-3.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.12โฌ1.81
$1.76NZ$3.00
20.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3Kโฌ27.6K
$12.0KNZ$20.5K
168.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4Kโฌ28.6K
-
-
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$224โฌ191
$105NZ$179
113.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.24โฌ11.32
$29.92NZ$51.2
-55.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.96โฌ26.47
$106NZ$181
-70.72%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$56.6โฌ48.41
$24.82NZ$42.44
128.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.11โฌ21.47
$23.94NZ$40.94
4.89%
Cinema Ticket
$10.32โฌ8.83
$6.99NZ$11.96
47.64%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$563โฌ482
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.6Kโฌ9,084
$1,443NZ$2,467
636.54%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.1โฌ77.1
$66.8NZ$114
34.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.60โฌ34.71
-
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$100โฌ85.6
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133โฌ113
$75.4NZ$129
75.72%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$864โฌ739
$314NZ$537
174.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$668โฌ571
$321NZ$549
108.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,473โฌ1,260
$354NZ$605
316.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,088โฌ930
$475NZ$812
129.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,808โฌ3,256
$5,153NZ$8,812
-26.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,454โฌ2,098
$751NZ$1,284
226.82%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Italy
Cook Islands
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,935โฌ1,655
$4,164NZ$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
๐ National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $323 in Cook Islands. Capital cities: $1,366 in Rome vs $156 in Avarua.
๐ฐNational 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
โญRent is 130% higher in Italy.
โญDining out costs 25% more in Italy.
โญSalaries 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.