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.
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
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Mali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.46€18.27
$8.47F CFA 4,958
141.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5€71.0
$36.49F CFA 21.4K
117.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.15€9.96
$8.25F CFA 4,831
35.15%
Cappuccino
$2.04€1.82
$1.71F CFA 1,003
19.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10€2.77
$0.89F CFA 520
248.31%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40€1.25
$0.71F CFA 416
97.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.51€4.93
$2.34F CFA 1,370
135.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74€5.13
$21.20F CFA 12.4K
-72.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Mali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.57€1.40
$1.94F CFA 1,139
-19.07%
White Bread(500g)
$2.38€2.13
$3.80F CFA 2,226
-37.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.90€2.59
-
-
Eggs
$4.07€3.64
$6.05F CFA 3,544
-32.73%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.44€15.58
$17.84F CFA 10.4K
-2.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.56€11.22
$17.36F CFA 10.2K
-27.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.17€18.01
$13.30F CFA 7,787
51.65%
Apples(1kg)
$2.58€2.31
$3.11F CFA 1,822
-17.04%
Banana(1kg)
$2.19€1.95
$1.46F CFA 854
50.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.68€2.39
$2.90F CFA 1,699
-7.59%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.27€2.92
$2.32F CFA 1,357
40.95%
Potato(1kg)
$1.90€1.70
$1.67F CFA 976
13.77%
Onion(1kg)
$1.82€1.62
$1.58F CFA 924
15.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.57€1.40
$0.11F CFA 62.7
1327.27%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.49
$2.90F CFA 1,698
-81.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.69€5.98
$1.01F CFA 593
562.38%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.99€7.13
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77€1.58
$1.46F CFA 854
21.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35€2.10
$1.30F 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
$1.22F CFA 715
40.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.64€30.04
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.03€1.81
$1.09F 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
$147F 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
$65.0F CFA 38.1K
-53.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Mali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.8€46.24
$70.1F 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
$76.9F 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
$172F CFA 100.4K
381.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$646€577
$79.5F CFA 46.5K
712.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,400€1,251
$506F CFA 296.3K
176.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,054€942
$297F CFA 173.6K
255.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,662€3,271
$10.1KF CFA 5.9M
-63.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,301€2,055
$843F CFA 493.8K
172.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Mali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,886€1,685
$257F CFA 150.3K
634.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.56
0
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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.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Italy
$646 35.1%
Mali
–
🛒Groceries & Markets
Italy
$348 18.9%
Mali
–
🍽Eating Out
Italy
$279 15.1%
Mali
–
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$269 14.6%
Mali
–
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$163 8.9%
Mali
–
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$73 4%
Mali
–
🚌Getting Around
Italy
$65 3.5%
Mali
–
🏠Accommodation & Living
Italy
$1.1K 27.8%
Mali
–
🛒Groceries & Markets
Italy
$823 21.7%
Mali
–
🍽Eating Out
Italy
$964 25.5%
Mali
–
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$280 7.4%
Mali
–
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$363 9.6%
Mali
–
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$170 4.5%
Mali
–
🚌Getting Around
Italy
$134 3.6%
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.
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.