Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Finland Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Finland

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,718 per month in Italy vs $1,805 in Finland, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,623 per month in Italy vs $2,796 in Finland, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,528 per month in Italy vs $3,786 in Finland, rent included.

The cost of living in Italy is roughly 5% lower than in Finland on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Italy and Finland are pricier than the global median – Italy by 29%, Finland by 35%.

The regional cost range is wider in Italy ($1,180$2,494) than in Finland ($1,427$2,250), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Finland
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.21 €15.13
$16.11 €14.16
6.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.1 €70.4
$94.0 €82.6
-14.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 €10.37
$11.67 €10.26
1.03%
Cappuccino
$1.98 €1.74
$4.91 €4.31
-59.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 €2.53
$2.79 €2.45
3.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.20
$2.07 €1.82
-33.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.83 €5.12
$8.19 €7.20
-28.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.13 €4.51
$7.95 €6.99
-35.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Finland
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 €1.48
$1.27 €1.12
32.28%
White Bread (500g)
$2.32 €2.04
$2.69 €2.36
-13.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.91 €2.55
$2.73 €2.40
6.59%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.57
$3.39 €2.98
19.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 €14.46
$9.21 €8.10
78.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.56 €11.04
$14.05 €12.35
-10.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.18 €17.74
$22.29 €19.60
-9.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.49 €2.18
$2.65 €2.33
-6.04%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.89
$2.14 €1.88
0.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.63 €2.31
$2.48 €2.18
6.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.23 €2.84
$4.42 €3.89
-26.92%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.79
$1.34 €1.18
52.24%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.59
$1.87 €1.65
-3.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.52 €1.34
$2.20 €1.93
-30.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 €0.47
$1.86 €1.64
-71.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.97 €6.13
$12.29 €10.80
-43.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.27 €6.39
$14.87 €13.07
-51.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.59
$3.31 €2.91
-45.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 €2.21
$3.85 €3.38
-34.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Finland
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.93 €1.69
$3.50 €3.07
-44.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.56 €37.42
$70.2 €61.8
-39.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.75 €5.05
$8.75 €7.69
-34.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 €1.39
$1.41 €1.24
12.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.03 €30.79
$67.0 €58.9
-47.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.02 €1.78
$2.11 €1.85
-4.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3K €28.4K
$35.3K €31.1K
-8.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K €29.3K
$35.7K €31.4K
-6.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Finland
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 €193
$142 €125
54.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.33 €11.72
$30.05 €26.42
-55.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.02 €27.27
$25.37 €22.30
22.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Finland
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.0 €50.1
$46.14 €40.56
23.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.78 €22.66
$28.88 €25.39
-10.73%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25 €9.01
$17.44 €15.33
-41.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Finland
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$566 €498
$363 €319
56.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K €9,095
$10.1K €8,844
2.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Finland
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8 €80.7
$99.4 €87.3
-7.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.92 €35.97
$42.19 €37.09
-3.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.5 €87.4
$101 €88.7
-1.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €116
$137 €121
-4.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Finland
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$857 €753
$892 €785
-3.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 €590
$723 €635
-7.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,474 €1,296
$1,559 €1,371
-5.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,089 €957
$1,170 €1,029
-6.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,667 €3,224
$5,155 €4,532
-28.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,348 €2,065
$3,037 €2,670
-22.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Finland
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,961 €1,723
$2,977 €2,617
-34.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
3.81
15.75%

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

Last update for Italy: July 21, 2026

Last update for Finland: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $742 in Italy vs $777 in Finland. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,354 in Rome and $1,201 in Helsinki.

Average salary: $1,917 in Italy vs $2,929 in Finland. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 5% higher in Finland.

Dining out costs 18% more in Finland.

Public transport is 52% more expensive in Finland.

Salaries are 53% higher in Finland, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Finland.

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 Finland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Finland, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Finland consistently has higher rents.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Finland or in Italy?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Italy, but in Finland it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Finland or to Italy?
Italy 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.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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