Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and India

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,718 in Italy versus $388 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,621 in Italy versus $617 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,524 in Italy versus $846 in India.

Living in Italy is roughly 343% more expensive than in India on average.

Italy (29% above) and India (71% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,176 to $2,467, compared to $265$913 in India. City choice carries more weight in Italy.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58 €15.40
$2.53 ₹244
594.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.5 €72.2
$13.73 ₹1,324
500.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.72 €10.26
$4.00 ₹386
193.00%
Cappuccino
$1.92 €1.68
$1.91 ₹185
0.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 €2.62
$0.43 ₹41.92
595.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.19
$0.17 ₹16.14
700.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.76 €5.04
$1.93 ₹186
198.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.22 €4.57
$3.54 ₹341
47.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 €1.48
$0.73 ₹70.0
131.51%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 €2.04
$0.52 ₹50.2
348.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.05 €2.67
$0.73 ₹70.0
317.81%
Eggs
$3.99 €3.49
$0.95 ₹91.5
320.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.68 €14.61
$5.32 ₹513
213.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.57 €11.01
$3.10 ₹299
305.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.53 €17.98
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.24
$2.16 ₹208
18.52%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 €1.93
$0.70 ₹67.8
214.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.68 €2.35
$1.05 ₹101
155.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.37 €2.95
$0.53 ₹50.9
535.85%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.79
$0.39 ₹37.72
423.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 €1.65
$0.48 ₹46.71
291.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.29
$0.52 ₹49.86
182.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.47
$0.36 ₹34.38
50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.00 €6.13
$4.02 ₹388
74.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.09 €6.21
$7.28 ₹702
-2.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.58
$1.90 ₹184
-5.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.20
$3.03 ₹293
-17.16%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.84 ₹563
-
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.96 €1.72
$0.36 ₹34.72
444.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.58 €36.42
$9.84 ₹949
322.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.80 €5.08
$0.95 ₹92.0
510.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 €1.40
$0.30 ₹29.08
433.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.07 €30.71
$1.79 ₹172
1859.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.87
$1.21 ₹117
76.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K €28.5K
$13.9K ₹1.3M
135.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K €29.6K
$22.4K ₹2.2M
50.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €197
$40.16 ₹3,873
460.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.14 €11.51
$3.76 ₹363
249.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.19 €27.31
$8.04 ₹776
287.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 €50.1
$16.25 ₹1,567
251.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.85 €22.64
$7.56 ₹729
241.93%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 €9.05
$3.43 ₹330
201.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$564 €494
$69.7 ₹6,724
708.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K €9,057
$1,852 ₹178.6K
458.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.9 €80.5
$25.59 ₹2,467
259.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.54 €35.51
$26.30 ₹2,536
54.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.2 €86.0
$44.89 ₹4,328
118.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €116
$33.20 ₹3,202
297.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$855 €749
$174 ₹16.8K
390.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$663 €581
$112 ₹10.8K
489.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,522 €1,333
$405 ₹39.0K
276.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,089 €954
$258 ₹24.8K
322.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,747 €3,282
$1,263 ₹121.8K
196.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,299 €2,013
$653 ₹62.9K
252.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,897 €1,661
$424 ₹40.9K
347.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
9.02
-51.11%

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

Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026

Last update for India: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $127 in India. Capital cities: $1,328 in Rome vs $242 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $1,912 in Italy, $398 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 484% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 573% more in Italy.

Public transport is 389% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 380% higher 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 India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Italy?
At $589 per month in India and $1,822 in Italy, there's a 209% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in India: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy is consistently higher than in India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Italy?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Italy?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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