Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Greece
For one person, living is cheaper in Greece: $1,530 a month against $1,843 in Italy, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Italy and in Greece actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,843 in Italy versus $1,530 in Greece.
Italy $1,843
Greece $1,530
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,816 in Italy versus $2,338 in Greece.
Italy $2,816
Greece $2,338
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,788 in Italy versus $3,146 in Greece.
Italy $3,788
Greece $3,146
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,038 to $2,555, compared to $1,037–$2,142 in Greece. City choice carries more weight in Italy.
🌍
Living in Italy is roughly 20% more expensive than in Greece on average.
📊
Both countries sit above the global median: Italy 35% above, Greece 12% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Greece
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.46€18.38
$16.48€14.81
24.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5€71.4
$55.5€49.85
43.29%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.15€10.02
$11.00€9.88
1.36%
Cappuccino
$2.04€1.83
$3.89€3.50
-47.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10€2.79
$2.46€2.21
26.02%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40€1.26
$0.63€0.56
122.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.51€4.95
$5.74€5.16
-4.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74€5.16
$5.61€5.04
2.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Greece
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.57€1.41
$1.75€1.57
-10.29%
White Bread(500g)
$2.38€2.14
$1.42€1.28
67.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.90€2.60
$2.57€2.31
12.84%
Eggs
$4.07€3.66
$4.54€4.08
-10.35%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.44€15.67
$13.68€12.29
27.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.56€11.28
$10.28€9.24
22.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.17€18.12
$15.57€13.99
29.54%
Apples(1kg)
$2.58€2.32
$2.20€1.98
17.27%
Banana(1kg)
$2.19€1.97
$1.96€1.76
11.73%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.68€2.41
$1.49€1.34
79.87%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.27€2.94
$2.09€1.88
56.46%
Potato(1kg)
$1.90€1.71
$1.20€1.08
58.33%
Onion(1kg)
$1.82€1.63
$1.14€1.03
59.65%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.57€1.41
$1.07€0.97
46.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.49
$0.83€0.75
-33.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.69€6.01
$5.46€4.91
22.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.99€7.18
$9.01€8.10
-11.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77€1.59
$1.97€1.77
-10.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35€2.11
$2.73€2.45
-13.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Greece
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.91€1.72
$1.37€1.23
39.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$43.44€39.03
$33.37€29.98
30.18%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.62€5.05
$4.49€4.03
25.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.71€1.54
$1.09€0.98
56.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.64€30.22
$16.48€14.81
104.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.03€1.82
$2.22€2.00
-8.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K€31.7K
$28.1K€25.2K
25.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.7K€33.0K
$26.3K€23.6K
39.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Greece
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$227€204
$209€188
8.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59€10.41
$24.10€21.65
-51.91%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38€27.30
$31.62€28.41
-3.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Greece
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.8€46.52
$47.95€43.09
7.97%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.70€21.29
$22.90€20.58
3.49%
Cinema Ticket
$10.60€9.53
$10.07€9.04
5.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Greece
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$568€510
$435€391
30.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K€10.4K
$9,696€8,711
18.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Greece
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.5€81.3
$86.6€77.8
4.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.55€34.64
$40.65€36.53
-5.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€92.2
$96.2€86.5
6.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131€118
$116€104
12.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Greece
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826€742
$558€501
47.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$646€581
$440€396
46.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,400€1,258
$944€848
48.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,054€947
$765€688
37.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,662€3,290
$3,088€2,774
18.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,301€2,068
$2,368€2,128
-2.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Greece
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,886€1,695
$1,109€997
70.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.56
4.54
-21.59%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Italy: October 24, 2026
Last update for Greece: October 25, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Italy
$646 35.1%
Greece
$440 28.8% ↓ 31.9%$206
🛒Groceries & Markets
Italy
$348 18.9%
Greece
$292 19.1% ↓ 16.1%$56
🍽Eating Out
Italy
$279 15.1%
Greece
$264 17.2% ↓ 5.3%$15
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$269 14.6%
Greece
$265 17.3% ↓ 1.5%$4
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$163 8.9%
Greece
$153 10% ↓ 6.4%$10
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$73 4%
Greece
$68 4.5% ↓ 6.7%$4.9
🚌Getting Around
Italy
$65 3.5%
Greece
$49 3.2% ↓ 25.2%$16
🏠Accommodation & Living
Italy
$1.1K 27.8%
Greece
$765 24.3% ↓ 27.4%$289
🛒Groceries & Markets
Italy
$823 21.7%
Greece
$683 21.7% ↓ 17%$139
🍽Eating Out
Italy
$964 25.5%
Greece
$809 25.7% ↓ 16.1%$155
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$280 7.4%
Greece
$289 9.2% ↑ 3%$8.5
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$363 9.6%
Greece
$340 10.8% ↓ 6.4%$23
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$170 4.5%
Greece
$159 5.1% ↓ 6.2%$11
🚌Getting Around
Italy
$134 3.6%
Greece
$100 3.2% ↓ 25.3%$34
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $729 in Italy, $507 in Greece. Capital cities: $1,297 in Rome vs $740 in Athens.
💰National salary averages: $1,890 in Italy, $1,079 in Greece. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 44% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 40% more in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 75% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 Greece: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Greece compare to the cost in Italy?
At $1,530 per month in Greece and $1,843 in Italy, there’s a 20% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Is rent more expensive in Greece or in Italy?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $729 in Italy and $507 in Greece. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Which country is better for expats: Greece or Italy?
It depends on what you’re after: Greece wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.