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: $1,717 in Italy versus $147 in Libya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,624 in Italy versus $240 in Libya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,530 in Italy versus $333 in Libya.

Living in Italy is roughly 1068% more expensive than Libya on average.

Italy (28% above) and Libya (89% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Libya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.44 €15.02
$3.63 LYD 23.06
380.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5 €68.4
$15.32 LYD 97.4
418.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 €10.12
$2.72 LYD 17.30
332.35%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.54 LYD 3.43
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.62 LYD 3.95
-
Cappuccino
$2.00 €1.72
$0.52 LYD 3.28
284.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.59
$0.48 LYD 3.07
525.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.16
$0.18 LYD 1.13
650.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.94 €5.11
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 €4.61
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Libya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 €1.41
$0.99 LYD 6.32
65.66%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.08
$0.28 LYD 1.78
760.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.99 €2.58
$1.09 LYD 6.90
174.31%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.41
$1.34 LYD 8.53
195.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.84 €14.50
$4.80 LYD 30.50
250.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.43 €10.70
$3.36 LYD 21.34
269.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.29 €17.47
$9.44 LYD 60.1
114.94%
Apples (1kg)
$2.47 €2.13
$1.76 LYD 11.21
40.34%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.85
$1.25 LYD 7.94
72.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.28
$0.78 LYD 4.97
239.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.40 €2.92
$0.55 LYD 3.48
518.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 €1.65
$0.64 LYD 4.07
200.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.56
$0.53 LYD 3.35
241.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.33
$0.40 LYD 2.54
287.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.47
$0.24 LYD 1.53
125.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.23 LYD 7.83
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.67 LYD 4.27
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.71 LYD 4.52
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79 €5.85
$1.97 LYD 12.55
244.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.18 €6.18
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.55
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 €2.08
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Libya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.00 €1.72
$0.35 LYD 2.25
471.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.35 €36.46
$20.38 LYD 130
107.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.94 €5.12
$0.95 LYD 6.01
525.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 €1.30
$1.05 LYD 6.66
43.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.04 €29.31
$3.59 LYD 22.84
848.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 €1.77
$0.03 LYD 0.19
6733.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K €28.3K
$16.0K LYD 101.8K
105.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K €29.0K
$16.1K LYD 102.5K
108.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Libya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €194
$32.71 LYD 208
589.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.25 €11.41
$7.47 LYD 47.49
77.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.95 €26.65
$21.64 LYD 138
43.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Libya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.7 €48.00
$20.51 LYD 130
171.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.15 €21.65
$8.21 LYD 52.2
206.33%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25 €8.83
$4.63 LYD 29.44
121.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Libya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$576 €496
$48.02 LYD 305
1099.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €9,007
$823 LYD 5,232
1171.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Libya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8 €79.1
$25.81 LYD 164
255.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72 €35.06
$32.27 LYD 205
26.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 €84.4
$42.15 LYD 268
132.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €113
$44.68 LYD 284
192.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Libya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$860 €740
$171 LYD 1,084
404.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 €574
$98.8 LYD 628
574.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,475 €1,270
$320 LYD 2,036
360.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,087 €936
$184 LYD 1,173
489.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,850 €3,316
$500 LYD 3,178
670.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,359 €2,031
$93.7 LYD 596
2418.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Libya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,933 €1,665
$261 LYD 1,660
640.49%
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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Libya: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $743 in Italy, $29.00 in Libya. Capital cities: $1,325 in Rome vs $207 in Tripoli.

National salary averages: $1,949 in Italy, $268 in Libya. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 2462% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 1133% more in Italy.

Public transport is 1367% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 627% higher in Italy, giving Libya stronger purchasing power.

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 $1,839 per month in Italy and $251 in Libya, there's a 633% 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?
Libya is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 Libya?
In Libya, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Italy, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or 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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