Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Ireland

For one person, living is cheaper in Italy: $1,832 a month against $2,918 in Ireland, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Italy
Ireland
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,832
/mo nomad
🇮🇪 Ireland
$2,918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Italy and in Ireland

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 Ireland actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,832 in Italy versus $2,918 in Ireland.

  • Italy $1,832
  • Ireland $2,918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,809 in Italy versus $4,203 in Ireland.

  • Italy $2,809
  • Ireland $4,203

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,787 in Italy versus $5,488 in Ireland.

  • Italy $3,787
  • Ireland $5,488

Internal cost variation is higher in Ireland: monthly costs span $1,786 to $3,690, compared to $1,163–$2,537 in Italy. City choice carries more weight in Ireland.

Living in Italy costs about 37% less than in Ireland on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Italy 35% above, Ireland 116% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Ireland
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.47 €18.26
$21.09 €18.82
-2.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.9 €70.4
$89.7 €80.0
-12.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.23 €10.02
$12.37 €11.04
-9.22%
Cappuccino
$2.04 €1.82
$4.55 €4.05
-55.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 €2.75
$2.87 €2.56
7.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 €1.19
$2.13 €1.90
-37.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.71 €5.10
$6.60 €5.89
-13.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.43 €4.84
$6.85 €6.11
-20.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Ireland
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 €1.40
$1.56 €1.40
0.64%
White Bread (500g)
$2.39 €2.14
$2.25 €2.01
6.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.85 €2.54
$1.91 €1.70
49.21%
Eggs
$4.19 €3.74
$4.45 €3.97
-5.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.06 €15.22
$11.38 €10.15
49.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.49 €11.14
$11.66 €10.40
7.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.30 €18.11
$14.69 €13.11
38.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 €2.33
$3.09 €2.76
-15.53%
Banana (1kg)
$2.18 €1.95
$2.24 €2.00
-2.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.59 €2.31
$3.11 €2.78
-16.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.31 €2.95
$4.58 €4.09
-27.73%
Potato (1kg)
$2.01 €1.80
$2.20 €1.96
-8.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.58 €1.41
15.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.57 €1.40
$1.39 €1.24
12.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 €0.46
$1.98 €1.77
-73.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.74 €6.01
$20.73 €18.49
-67.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.91 €7.05
$13.47 €12.02
-41.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 €1.57
$3.44 €3.07
-48.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 €2.10
$3.66 €3.27
-35.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Ireland
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.95 €1.74
$2.31 €2.06
-15.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.83 €38.20
$96.4 €86.0
-55.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.53 €4.93
$4.78 €4.27
15.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 €1.52
$1.51 €1.35
13.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.80 €30.15
$31.39 €28.00
7.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 €1.86
$2.10 €1.88
-0.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K €32.1K
$38.7K €34.5K
-7.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.2K €33.2K
$38.6K €34.5K
-3.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Ireland
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$231 €206
$252 €225
-8.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.80 €10.53
$22.36 €19.95
-47.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.94 €26.70
$52.5 €46.83
-42.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Ireland
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.0 €47.30
$55.3 €49.30
-4.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.61 €21.06
$20.75 €18.51
13.78%
Cinema Ticket
$10.75 €9.59
$13.92 €12.41
-22.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Ireland
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$566 €505
$1,094 €976
-48.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$11.3K €10.1K
55.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Ireland
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.8 €81.0
$100 €89.2
-9.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.57 €34.41
$45.55 €40.63
-15.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €92.1
$104 €92.8
-0.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 €116
$115 €102
13.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Ireland
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$829 €740
$1,822 €1,625
-54.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$630 €562
$1,544 €1,378
-59.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,377 €1,228
$2,851 €2,543
-51.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,050 €937
$2,427 €2,165
-56.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,650 €3,256
$5,044 €4,499
-27.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,306 €2,057
$3,871 €3,453
-40.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Ireland
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,951 €1,740
$3,457 €3,083
-43.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.55
4.17
-14.87%

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

Last update for Italy: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ireland: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Italy
$630
Ireland
$1.5K 145% $914
Groceries & Markets
Italy
$347
Ireland
$355 2.3% $8.1
Eating Out
Italy
$279
Ireland
$327 17.2% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$273
Ireland
$327 19.7% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$163
Ireland
$164 0.6% $0.9
Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$75
Ireland
$83 11.5% $8.6
Getting Around
Italy
$65
Ireland
$118 82.3% $53

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $728 in Italy, $1,578 in Ireland. Capital cities: $1,348 in Rome vs $2,463 in Dublin.

National salary averages: $1,908 in Italy, $3,212 in Ireland. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 117% higher in Ireland.

Dining out costs 19% more in Ireland.

Public transport is 177% more expensive in Ireland.

Salaries are 68% higher in Ireland.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Italy
🇮🇪 Ireland
🕒 Local time
08:50 8:50 AM
07:50 7:50 AM
1 h behind Italy
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
58,850,717
5,149,139
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Italy Ireland 1,890 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Italy
  • Ireland

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 Ireland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Ireland or Italy?
At $2,918 per month in Ireland and $1,832 in Italy, Italy comes out about 37% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do rents compare between Ireland and Italy?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,578 in Ireland and $728 in Italy. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How far does $2,500 go in Ireland compared to Italy?
In Italy, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in Ireland it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Ireland and in Italy?
It depends on what you’re after: Italy wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?