Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Mali Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Mali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,719 in Italy versus $245 in Mali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,625 in Italy versus $406 in Mali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,531 in Italy versus $566 in Mali.

Living in Italy is roughly 602% more expensive than Mali on average.

Italy (28% above) and Mali (82% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Mali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.02 €14.76
$6.86 F CFA 3,900
148.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.3 €71.4
$37.86 F CFA 21.5K
117.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.62 €10.07
$6.39 F CFA 3,634
81.85%
Cappuccino
$1.91 €1.66
$1.88 F CFA 1,067
1.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 €2.62
$0.80 F CFA 454
277.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 €1.14
$0.57 F CFA 322
129.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.81 €5.04
$2.36 F CFA 1,342
146.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.12 €4.44
$21.13 F CFA 12.0K
-75.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Mali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 €1.43
$2.37 F CFA 1,347
-30.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.42 €2.10
$3.48 F CFA 1,977
-30.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.92 €2.53
-
-
Eggs
$4.12 €3.57
$4.53 F CFA 2,575
-9.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.70 €14.48
$17.54 F CFA 9,971
-4.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.60 €10.93
$17.16 F CFA 9,753
-26.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.61 €17.87
$13.31 F CFA 7,564
54.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.48 €2.15
$3.02 F CFA 1,718
-17.88%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.86
$1.48 F CFA 839
45.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.72 €2.36
$2.84 F CFA 1,617
-4.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.25 €2.82
$2.38 F CFA 1,355
36.55%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 €1.68
$1.65 F CFA 937
17.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.57
$1.76 F CFA 998
2.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 €1.28
$0.09 F CFA 53.5
1544.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.47
$2.30 F CFA 1,306
-76.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.82 €5.91
$0.95 F CFA 538
617.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.33 €6.36
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.56
$1.53 F CFA 867
17.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.21
$1.30 F CFA 740
95.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Mali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.01 €1.74
$4.58 F CFA 2,602
-56.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.70 €36.16
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.90 €5.12
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 €1.31
$1.22 F CFA 691
24.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.23 €29.69
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.84
$1.16 F CFA 659
83.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K €28.5K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K €29.1K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Mali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$226 €196
$148 F CFA 84.4K
52.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.32 €11.55
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.26 €27.11
$58.4 F CFA 33.2K
-46.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Mali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.9 €49.34
$68.5 F CFA 38.9K
-16.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.71 €22.30
$4.17 F CFA 2,371
516.55%
Cinema Ticket
$10.35 €8.98
$5.78 F CFA 3,284
79.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Mali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$579 €502
$79.7 F CFA 45.3K
626.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €9,135
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Mali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.2 €78.2
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.79 €35.38
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.7 €85.6
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 €115
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Mali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$853 €740
$175 F CFA 99.7K
386.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 €578
$79.4 F CFA 45.1K
740.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,517 €1,315
$413 F CFA 235.0K
266.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,083 €939
$305 F CFA 173.5K
254.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,767 €3,266
$10.3K F CFA 5.9M
-63.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,403 €2,084
$851 F CFA 484.0K
182.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Mali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,986 €1,722
$264 F CFA 150.2K
651.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
0
-

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

Last update for Italy: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mali: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $43.00 in Mali. Capital cities: $1,368 in Rome vs $173 in Bamako.

National salary averages: $1,931 in Italy, $260 in Mali. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1626% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 640% more in Italy.

Salaries are 643% 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 Mali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Mali?
At $1,804 per month in Italy and $446 in Mali, there's a 305% 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?
Mali 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 Mali across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget in Italy or Mali?
In Mali, $1,200 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 Mali?
It depends on what you're after. Mali 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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