Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Hong Kong (China) Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Hong Kong (China)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,718 per month in Italy vs $2,781 in Hong Kong (China), rent included.

A couple spends around $2,624 per month in Italy vs $4,250 in Hong Kong (China), rent included.

A family of three spends $3,530 per month in Italy vs $5,719 in Hong Kong (China), rent included.

The cost of living in Italy is roughly 38% lower than in Hong Kong (China) on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Italy and Hong Kong (China) are pricier than the global median – Italy by 29%, Hong Kong (China) by 109%.

The regional cost range is wider in Italy ($1,187$2,451) than in Hong Kong (China) ($2,781$2,781), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Hong Kong (China)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.21 €15.02
$8.67 HK$67.9
98.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.0 €69.8
$63.6 HK$498
25.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.80 €10.29
$6.22 HK$48.78
89.71%
Cappuccino
$1.90 €1.65
$4.99 HK$39.13
-61.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 €2.63
$1.33 HK$10.45
127.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 €1.16
$1.05 HK$8.21
26.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.89 €5.14
$6.65 HK$52.1
-11.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 €4.67
$6.54 HK$51.2
-18.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Hong Kong (China)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 €1.41
$3.02 HK$23.63
-46.36%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 €2.08
$2.23 HK$17.44
6.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.92 €2.55
$1.96 HK$15.37
48.98%
Eggs
$4.04 €3.52
$3.33 HK$26.10
21.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.85 €14.70
$25.07 HK$196
-32.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.61 €11.00
$10.15 HK$79.5
24.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.66 €18.03
$22.38 HK$175
-7.69%
Apples (1kg)
$2.51 €2.19
$3.47 HK$27.22
-27.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.12 €1.85
$2.27 HK$17.78
-6.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 €2.35
$3.83 HK$29.98
-29.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.36 €2.93
$2.96 HK$23.18
13.51%
Potato (1kg)
$2.03 €1.77
$2.25 HK$17.65
-9.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.58
$2.29 HK$17.91
-20.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.49 €1.30
$1.76 HK$13.76
-15.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 €0.44
$1.73 HK$13.54
-71.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.11 €6.21
$13.05 HK$102
-45.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.34 €6.40
$18.88 HK$148
-61.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 €1.59
$1.82 HK$14.28
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 €2.14
$2.67 HK$20.92
-7.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Hong Kong (China)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.00 €1.74
$1.77 HK$13.83
12.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.36 €36.96
$64.0 HK$502
-33.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.84 €5.10
$3.67 HK$28.77
59.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 €1.38
$1.37 HK$10.71
15.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.13 €30.65
$14.86 HK$116
136.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.86
$3.02 HK$23.65
-29.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.5K €28.4K
$37.6K HK$294.9K
-13.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K €29.0K
$32.9K HK$258.0K
0.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Hong Kong (China)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$223 €195
$231 HK$1,811
-3.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.33 €11.63
$17.93 HK$141
-25.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.68 €27.64
$22.41 HK$176
41.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Hong Kong (China)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.9 €49.64
$78.4 HK$615
-27.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.50 €22.25
$8.44 HK$66.1
202.13%
Cinema Ticket
$10.55 €9.21
$12.80 HK$100
-17.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Hong Kong (China)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$584 €510
$997 HK$7,812
-41.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K €9,214
$21.8K HK$170.5K
-51.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Hong Kong (China)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.5 €79.0
$73.0 HK$572
24.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13 €35.02
$39.76 HK$312
0.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €88.7
$90.7 HK$711
12.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 €116
$141 HK$1,102
-5.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Hong Kong (China)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$858 €748
$2,170 HK$17.0K
-60.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 €580
$1,587 HK$12.4K
-58.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,486 €1,297
$4,800 HK$37.6K
-69.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,085 €946
$3,068 HK$24.0K
-64.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,757 €3,278
$27.4K HK$214.4K
-86.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,396 €2,091
$17.2K HK$134.7K
-86.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Hong Kong (China)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,945 €1,697
$3,271 HK$25.6K
-40.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
3.97
11.08%

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

Last update for Italy: June 14, 2026

Last update for Hong Kong (China): June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $742 in Italy vs $2,244 in Hong Kong (China). For reference, capital cities sit at $1,346 in Rome and $2,244 in Hong Kong.

Average salary: $1,939 in Italy vs $3,154 in Hong Kong (China). The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 202% higher in Hong Kong (China).

Dining out costs 16% more in Italy.

Public transport is 48% more expensive in Hong Kong (China).

Salaries are 63% higher in Hong Kong (China).

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 Hong Kong (China): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Hong Kong (China) or Italy?
Italy is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 53% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Hong Kong (China) or in Italy?
Housing costs more in Hong Kong (China), and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Hong Kong (China) consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Hong Kong (China) vs Italy?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Italy, contributing to the overall 53% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Hong Kong (China) and Italy on $2,500 per month?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Italy, but in Hong Kong (China) it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Hong Kong (China) or 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.

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