Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Libya Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Libya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,718 in Italy versus $148 in Libya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,621 in Italy versus $242 in Libya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,524 in Italy versus $336 in Libya.

Living in Italy is roughly 1061% more expensive than in Libya on average.

Italy (29% above) and Libya (89% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Libya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58 €15.40
$3.77 LYD 24.01
366.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.5 €72.2
$15.80 LYD 101
421.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.72 €10.26
$2.79 LYD 17.79
320.07%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.57 LYD 3.66
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.62 LYD 3.94
-
Cappuccino
$1.92 €1.68
$0.51 LYD 3.26
276.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 €2.62
$0.45 LYD 2.85
564.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.19
$0.16 LYD 0.99
750.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.76 €5.04
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.22 €4.57
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Libya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 €1.48
$0.97 LYD 6.17
74.23%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 €2.04
$0.26 LYD 1.65
796.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.05 €2.67
$1.04 LYD 6.66
193.27%
Eggs
$3.99 €3.49
$1.35 LYD 8.57
195.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.68 €14.61
$4.80 LYD 30.55
247.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.57 €11.01
$3.27 LYD 20.81
284.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.53 €17.98
$9.52 LYD 60.7
115.65%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.24
$1.72 LYD 10.99
48.84%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 €1.93
$1.30 LYD 8.25
69.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.68 €2.35
$0.73 LYD 4.66
267.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.37 €2.95
$0.56 LYD 3.54
501.79%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.79
$0.60 LYD 3.81
240.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 €1.65
$0.49 LYD 3.15
283.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.29
$0.40 LYD 2.53
267.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.47
$0.24 LYD 1.53
125.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.17 LYD 7.48
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.67 LYD 4.30
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.71 LYD 4.54
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.00 €6.13
$1.93 LYD 12.31
262.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.09 €6.21
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.58
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.20
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Libya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.96 €1.72
$0.38 LYD 2.44
415.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.58 €36.42
$20.15 LYD 128
106.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.80 €5.08
$0.91 LYD 5.79
537.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 €1.40
$1.04 LYD 6.60
53.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.07 €30.71
$3.68 LYD 23.45
852.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.87
$0.03 LYD 0.19
7000.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K €28.5K
$16.1K LYD 102.3K
102.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K €29.6K
$16.1K LYD 102.6K
109.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Libya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €197
$32.39 LYD 206
594.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.14 €11.51
$7.38 LYD 47.04
78.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.19 €27.31
$21.68 LYD 138
43.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Libya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 €50.1
$20.83 LYD 133
174.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.85 €22.64
$8.05 LYD 51.3
221.12%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 €9.05
$4.49 LYD 28.62
130.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Libya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$564 €494
$48.42 LYD 308
1064.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K €9,057
$833 LYD 5,304
1141.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Libya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.9 €80.5
$26.15 LYD 167
251.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.54 €35.51
$32.45 LYD 207
24.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.2 €86.0
$41.18 LYD 262
138.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €116
$44.25 LYD 282
198.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Libya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$855 €749
$172 LYD 1,096
397.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$663 €581
$98.8 LYD 629
571.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,522 €1,333
$324 LYD 2,061
370.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,089 €954
$184 LYD 1,174
490.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,747 €3,282
$449 LYD 2,858
735.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,299 €2,013
$117 LYD 747
1860.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Libya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,897 €1,661
$256 LYD 1,632
640.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
15.79
-72.07%

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

Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026

Last update for Libya: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $30.00 in Libya. Capital cities: $1,328 in Rome vs $212 in Tripoli.

National salary averages: $1,912 in Italy, $251 in Libya. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 2373% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 1133% more in Italy.

Public transport is 1367% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 662% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Libya.

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 Libya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Libya?
At $1,822 per month in Italy and $253 in Libya, there's a 621% 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 Libya: 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 Libya 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 Italy or in Libya?
In Libya, $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 Italy or to Libya?
It depends on what you're after: Libya 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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