Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Mali

For one person, living is cheaper in Mali: $904 a month against $1,843 in Italy, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Italy
Mali
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,843
/mo nomad
🇲🇱 Mali
$904
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Italy and in Mali

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,843 in Italy versus $904 in Mali.

  • Italy $1,843
  • Mali $904

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,816 in Italy versus $1,481 in Mali.

  • Italy $2,816
  • Mali $1,481

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,788 in Italy versus $2,058 in Mali.

  • Italy $3,788
  • Mali $2,058

Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,038 to $2,555, compared to $86–$894 in Mali. City choice carries more weight in Italy.

Living in Italy is roughly 104% more expensive than in Mali on average.

Italy (35% above) and Mali (34% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Mali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.46 €18.27
$8.47 F CFA 4,958
141.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5 €71.0
$36.49 F CFA 21.4K
117.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.15 €9.96
$8.25 F CFA 4,831
35.15%
Cappuccino
$2.04 €1.82
$1.71 F CFA 1,003
19.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 €2.77
$0.89 F CFA 520
248.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 €1.25
$0.71 F CFA 416
97.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.51 €4.93
$2.34 F CFA 1,370
135.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74 €5.13
$21.20 F CFA 12.4K
-72.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Mali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 €1.40
$1.94 F CFA 1,139
-19.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 €2.13
$3.80 F CFA 2,226
-37.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.90 €2.59
-
-
Eggs
$4.07 €3.64
$6.05 F CFA 3,544
-32.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.44 €15.58
$17.84 F CFA 10.4K
-2.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.56 €11.22
$17.36 F CFA 10.2K
-27.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.17 €18.01
$13.30 F CFA 7,787
51.65%
Apples (1kg)
$2.58 €2.31
$3.11 F CFA 1,822
-17.04%
Banana (1kg)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.46 F CFA 854
50.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.68 €2.39
$2.90 F CFA 1,699
-7.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.27 €2.92
$2.32 F CFA 1,357
40.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 €1.70
$1.67 F CFA 976
13.77%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.58 F CFA 924
15.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.57 €1.40
$0.11 F CFA 62.7
1327.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$2.90 F CFA 1,698
-81.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.69 €5.98
$1.01 F CFA 593
562.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.99 €7.13
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 €1.58
$1.46 F CFA 854
21.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 €2.10
$1.30 F CFA 763
80.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Mali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.91 €1.71
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.44 €38.80
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.62 €5.02
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 €1.53
$1.22 F CFA 715
40.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.64 €30.04
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 €1.81
$1.09 F CFA 636
86.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K €31.5K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.7K €32.8K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Mali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$227 €202
$147 F CFA 86.3K
53.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 €10.35
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.14
$65.0 F CFA 38.1K
-53.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Mali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.8 €46.24
$70.1 F CFA 41.0K
-26.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.70 €21.17
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.60 €9.47
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Mali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 €507
$76.9 F CFA 45.0K
638.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K €10.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Mali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.5 €80.9
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.55 €34.44
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €91.7
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €117
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Mali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$826 €737
$172 F CFA 100.4K
381.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$646 €577
$79.5 F CFA 46.5K
712.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,400 €1,251
$506 F CFA 296.3K
176.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,054 €942
$297 F CFA 173.6K
255.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,662 €3,271
$10.1K F CFA 5.9M
-63.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,301 €2,055
$843 F CFA 493.8K
172.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Mali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,886 €1,685
$257 F CFA 150.3K
634.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.56
0
-

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

Last update for Italy: October 24, 2026

Last update for Mali: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Italy
$646
Mali
–
Groceries & Markets
Italy
$348
Mali
–
Eating Out
Italy
$279
Mali
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$269
Mali
–
Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$163
Mali
–
Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$73
Mali
–
Getting Around
Italy
$65
Mali
–

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $729 in Italy, $176 in Mali. Capital cities: $1,297 in Rome vs $176 in Bamako.

National salary averages: $1,890 in Italy, $264 in Mali. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 314% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 103% more in Italy.

Salaries are about 7.2 times higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Italy
🇲🇱 Mali
🕒 Local time
02:20 2:20 AM
01:20 1:20 AM
1 h behind Italy
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
58,850,717
20,250,833
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.893 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 586 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.52 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Italy Mali 3,810 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Italy
  • Mali

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 Mali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Mali?
At $1,843 per month in Italy and $904 in Mali, Mali comes out about 51% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $729 in Italy and $176 in Mali. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget in Italy or in Mali?
In Mali, $1,200 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 Mali?
It depends on what you’re after: Mali wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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