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: $1,720 in Italy versus $251 in Mali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,626 in Italy versus $416 in Mali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,531 in Italy versus $580 in Mali.

Living in Italy is roughly 585% more expensive than in Mali on average.

Italy (29% above) and Mali (81% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Mali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.16 €14.96
$6.79 F CFA 3,881
152.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.4 €70.9
$37.48 F CFA 21.4K
117.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.60 €10.11
$6.57 F CFA 3,755
76.56%
Cappuccino
$1.98 €1.73
$1.92 F CFA 1,097
3.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.62
$0.80 F CFA 457
275.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.18
$0.59 F CFA 338
130.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.92 €5.16
$2.42 F CFA 1,381
144.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.25 €4.58
$20.70 F CFA 11.8K
-74.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Mali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.49
$2.38 F CFA 1,358
-28.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 €2.07
$3.34 F CFA 1,907
-29.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.03 €2.65
-
-
Eggs
$3.95 €3.44
$4.49 F CFA 2,564
-12.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.66 €14.53
$17.53 F CFA 10.0K
-4.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.26 €10.68
$17.25 F CFA 9,861
-28.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.06 €17.49
$13.14 F CFA 7,509
52.66%
Apples (1kg)
$2.55 €2.23
$3.14 F CFA 1,793
-18.79%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 €1.92
$1.46 F CFA 835
50.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.75 €2.40
$2.77 F CFA 1,586
-0.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.22 €2.81
$2.27 F CFA 1,299
41.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 €1.69
$1.57 F CFA 898
23.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 €1.59
$1.86 F CFA 1,063
-2.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 €1.29
$0.09 F CFA 51.5
1544.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 €0.43
$2.24 F CFA 1,282
-77.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.13 €6.21
$0.95 F CFA 543
650.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.37 €6.43
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 €1.53
$1.51 F CFA 864
16.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 €2.20
$1.29 F CFA 736
96.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Mali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.99 €1.73
$4.61 F CFA 2,632
-56.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.32 €36.90
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.67 €4.94
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 €1.32
$1.25 F CFA 717
21.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.94 €30.46
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 €1.83
$1.14 F CFA 650
83.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K €28.5K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K €28.7K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Mali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$227 €198
$151 F CFA 86.3K
50.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.58 €11.84
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.57 €27.52
$56.5 F CFA 32.3K
-44.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Mali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.7 €50.3
$66.5 F CFA 38.0K
-13.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.23 €22.00
$4.04 F CFA 2,308
524.50%
Cinema Ticket
$10.59 €9.24
$5.62 F CFA 3,212
88.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Mali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 €495
$79.9 F CFA 45.7K
610.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €9,187
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Mali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.7 €79.0
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.49 €35.30
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.8 €87.0
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 €113
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Mali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$865 €754
$178 F CFA 101.7K
385.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$672 €586
$79.8 F CFA 45.6K
742.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,523 €1,328
$410 F CFA 234.2K
271.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 €940
$304 F CFA 173.9K
254.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,767 €3,284
$10.0K F CFA 5.7M
-62.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,360 €2,058
$850 F CFA 485.6K
177.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Mali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,949 €1,699
$257 F CFA 147.1K
657.31%
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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mali: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $743 in Italy, $43.00 in Mali. Capital cities: $1,334 in Rome vs $173 in Bamako.

National salary averages: $1,912 in Italy, $261 in Mali. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1628% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 722% more in Italy.

Salaries are 633% 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 $1,817 per month in Italy and $459 in Mali, there's a 296% 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 Mali: 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 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 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; 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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