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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,718 per month in Italy vs $728 in Eritrea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,623 per month in Italy vs $1,075 in Eritrea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,527 per month in Italy vs $1,422 in Eritrea, rent included.

Italy costs about 136% more than Eritrea on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Italy sits 28% above the global median, while Eritrea is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: Italy spans $1,158$2,441, Eritrea spans $0$1,455. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.19 €14.63
$12.23 ERN 183
40.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5 €67.7
$30.10 ERN 452
164.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.53 €9.81
$5.59 ERN 83.9
106.26%
Cappuccino
$1.95 €1.66
$0.74 ERN 11.15
163.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 €2.52
$1.79 ERN 26.83
65.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.16
$1.32 ERN 19.79
3.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €4.80
$1.01 ERN 15.20
458.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.18 €4.41
$1.99 ERN 29.80
160.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 €1.38
$1.63 ERN 24.50
-0.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 €2.04
$0.52 ERN 7.77
361.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.93 €2.49
$1.95 ERN 29.28
50.26%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.37
$4.58 ERN 68.7
-13.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.71 €14.22
$3.08 ERN 46.27
442.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.63 €10.75
$26.44 ERN 397
-52.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.75 €17.66
$10.11 ERN 152
105.24%
Apples (1kg)
$2.51 €2.13
$12.08 ERN 181
-79.22%
Banana (1kg)
$2.24 €1.91
$1.31 ERN 19.64
70.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.68 €2.28
$1.93 ERN 28.92
38.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.35 €2.85
$1.25 ERN 18.82
168.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.03 €1.73
$1.81 ERN 27.15
12.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.84 €1.56
$1.10 ERN 16.48
67.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.52 €1.29
$0.70 ERN 10.54
117.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 €0.43
$2.16 ERN 32.41
-76.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.91 €5.88
$2.04 ERN 30.67
238.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.23 €6.15
$11.84 ERN 178
-38.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 €1.56
$0.99 ERN 14.81
84.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 €2.14
$1.14 ERN 17.06
121.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.93 €1.64
$0.15 ERN 2.22
1186.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.04 €36.63
$7.84 ERN 118
448.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.63 €4.80
$0.68 ERN 10.27
727.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 €1.30
$0.64 ERN 9.64
137.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.84 €29.65
$8.49 ERN 127
310.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.02 €1.72
$2.14 ERN 32.15
-5.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9K €28.0K
$67.4K ERN 1.0M
-51.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.6K €28.6K
$69.4K ERN 1.0M
-51.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$221 €188
$27.68 ERN 415
698.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 €11.53
$68.4 ERN 1,026
-80.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.59 €26.88
$201 ERN 3,020
-84.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.4 €48.85
$26.54 ERN 398
116.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.69 €21.86
$7.72 ERN 116
232.77%
Cinema Ticket
$10.24 €8.72
$1.13 ERN 16.99
806.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$579 €493
$25.25 ERN 379
2194.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €8,951
$1,656 ERN 24.8K
535.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.2 €78.5
$81.9 ERN 1,229
12.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.41 €34.39
$74.7 ERN 1,121
-45.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €86.0
$199 ERN 2,989
-49.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 €113
$95.6 ERN 1,434
38.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$851 €724
$469 ERN 7,040
81.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €557
$398 ERN 5,965
64.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,515 €1,290
$713 ERN 10.7K
112.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,076 €915
$655 ERN 9,820
64.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,967 €3,376
$1,288 ERN 19.3K
208.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,426 €2,064
$1,870 ERN 28.0K
29.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Eritrea
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,938 €1,649
$509 ERN 7,633
280.89%
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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Eritrea: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $743 in Italy vs $236 in Eritrea. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,362 in Rome and $473 in Asmara.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 215% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 356% 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 147% 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 147% 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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