Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Eritrea Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Eritrea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,719 per month in Italy vs $737 in Eritrea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,625 per month in Italy vs $1,103 in Eritrea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,531 per month in Italy vs $1,468 in Eritrea, rent included.

Italy costs about 133% more than Eritrea on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Italy sits 28% above the global median, while Eritrea is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.02 €14.76
$12.31 ERN 185
38.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.3 €71.4
$29.56 ERN 444
178.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.62 €10.07
$5.54 ERN 83.2
109.75%
Cappuccino
$1.91 €1.66
$0.81 ERN 12.12
135.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 €2.62
$1.79 ERN 26.89
68.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 €1.14
$1.32 ERN 19.83
-0.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.81 €5.04
$0.98 ERN 14.70
492.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.12 €4.44
$2.05 ERN 30.78
149.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 €1.43
$1.58 ERN 23.72
3.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.42 €2.10
$0.48 ERN 7.20
404.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.92 €2.53
$1.96 ERN 29.47
48.98%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.57
$4.44 ERN 66.8
-7.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.70 €14.48
$2.98 ERN 44.81
460.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.60 €10.93
$26.43 ERN 397
-52.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.61 €17.87
$10.08 ERN 152
104.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.48 €2.15
$12.05 ERN 181
-79.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.86
$1.30 ERN 19.60
65.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.72 €2.36
$1.90 ERN 28.60
43.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.25 €2.82
$1.24 ERN 18.67
162.10%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 €1.68
$1.77 ERN 26.63
9.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.57
$1.05 ERN 15.84
72.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 €1.28
$0.70 ERN 10.51
111.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.47
$2.10 ERN 31.60
-74.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.82 €5.91
$1.95 ERN 29.36
249.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.33 €6.36
$11.77 ERN 177
-37.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.56
$1.01 ERN 15.21
78.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.21
$1.16 ERN 17.36
118.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.01 €1.74
$0.14 ERN 2.17
1335.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.70 €36.16
$8.17 ERN 123
410.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.90 €5.12
$0.70 ERN 10.56
742.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 €1.31
$0.62 ERN 9.26
145.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.23 €29.69
$8.32 ERN 125
311.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.84
$2.19 ERN 32.85
-2.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K €28.5K
$66.6K ERN 1.0M
-50.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K €29.1K
$69.1K ERN 1.0M
-51.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$226 €196
$27.48 ERN 413
721.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.32 €11.55
$67.5 ERN 1,015
-80.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.26 €27.11
$200 ERN 3,008
-84.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.9 €49.34
$26.60 ERN 400
113.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.71 €22.30
$7.40 ERN 111
247.43%
Cinema Ticket
$10.35 €8.98
$1.09 ERN 16.32
849.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$579 €502
$25.21 ERN 379
2196.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €9,135
$1,653 ERN 24.8K
537.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.2 €78.2
$82.2 ERN 1,236
9.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.79 €35.38
$75.3 ERN 1,132
-45.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.7 €85.6
$198 ERN 2,971
-50.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 €115
$94.5 ERN 1,421
40.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$853 €740
$482 ERN 7,252
76.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 €578
$400 ERN 6,009
66.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,517 €1,315
$720 ERN 10.8K
110.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,083 €939
$652 ERN 9,803
65.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,767 €3,266
$1,277 ERN 19.2K
195.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,403 €2,084
$2,279 ERN 34.3K
5.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,986 €1,722
$494 ERN 7,418
302.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
12
-63.25%

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

Last update for Italy: June 9, 2026

Last update for Eritrea: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $742 in Italy vs $242 in Eritrea. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,368 in Rome and $483 in Asmara.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 207% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 393% more in Italy.

Public transport is 1000% more expensive in Italy.

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 Eritrea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Eritrea or Italy?
Eritrea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 145% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Eritrea or 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.
How do daily expenses compare in Eritrea vs Italy?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Eritrea, contributing to the overall 145% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Eritrea and Italy on $1,000 per month?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Eritrea, but in Italy it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Eritrea or Italy?
Eritrea 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.

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