Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Philippines Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Philippines

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,718 in Italy versus $758 in Philippines.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,621 in Italy versus $1,185 in Philippines.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,524 in Italy versus $1,612 in Philippines.

Living in Italy is roughly 127% more expensive than in Philippines on average.

Italy (29% above) and Philippines (43% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,176 to $2,467, compared to $488$1,188 in Philippines. City choice carries more weight in Italy.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58 €15.36
$4.05 ₱249
334.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.5 €72.0
$21.34 ₱1,314
286.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.72 €10.24
$3.58 ₱220
227.37%
Cappuccino
$1.92 €1.68
$2.39 ₱147
-19.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 €2.61
$0.72 ₱44.39
315.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.19
$0.39 ₱23.96
248.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.76 €5.03
$1.31 ₱80.6
339.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.22 €4.56
$2.09 ₱129
149.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 €1.48
$1.79 ₱110
-5.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 €2.04
$1.31 ₱80.7
77.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.05 €2.67
$0.96 ₱58.9
217.71%
Eggs
$3.99 €3.49
$2.06 ₱127
93.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.68 €14.57
$7.74 ₱477
115.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.57 €10.98
$4.48 ₱276
180.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.53 €17.94
$7.59 ₱467
170.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.23
$3.10 ₱191
-17.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 €1.93
$1.46 ₱89.8
50.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.68 €2.34
$2.64 ₱162
1.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.37 €2.95
$1.60 ₱98.4
110.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.78
$2.23 ₱137
-8.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 €1.64
$2.65 ₱163
-29.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.29
$1.38 ₱85.2
6.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.47
$0.70 ₱43.38
-22.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.00 €6.11
$3.00 ₱185
133.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.09 €6.19
$6.38 ₱393
11.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.57
$1.20 ₱73.6
50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.19
$1.86 ₱115
34.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Philippines
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.96 €1.71
$0.28 ₱17.44
600.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.58 €36.33
$10.47 ₱645
297.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.80 €5.07
$0.83 ₱50.8
598.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 €1.39
$0.25 ₱15.22
540.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.07 €30.64
$2.68 ₱165
1208.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.86
$1.18 ₱72.7
80.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K €28.5K
$22.8K ₱1.4M
43.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K €29.5K
$21.8K ₱1.3M
55.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €197
$109 ₱6,712
106.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.14 €11.48
$28.79 ₱1,772
-54.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.19 €27.25
$29.81 ₱1,835
4.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 €49.94
$32.39 ₱1,994
76.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.85 €22.58
$5.47 ₱337
372.58%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 €9.03
$6.13 ₱377
68.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$564 €493
$107 ₱6,599
426.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K €9,035
$4,444 ₱273.6K
132.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.9 €80.3
$45.83 ₱2,822
100.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.54 €35.42
$25.76 ₱1,586
57.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.2 €85.8
$73.9 ₱4,552
32.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €115
$62.5 ₱3,846
111.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Philippines
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$855 €747
$319 ₱19.7K
167.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$663 €580
$179 ₱11.0K
270.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,522 €1,330
$663 ₱40.8K
129.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,089 €951
$359 ₱22.1K
203.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,747 €3,274
$3,103 ₱191.1K
20.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,299 €2,009
$1,461 ₱89.9K
57.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,897 €1,657
$328 ₱20.2K
478.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
7.22
-38.92%

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

Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026

Last update for Philippines: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $258 in Philippines. Capital cities: $1,328 in Rome vs $486 in Manila.

National salary averages: $1,912 in Italy, $295 in Philippines. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 188% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 289% more in Italy.

Public transport is 1367% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 548% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger 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 Philippines: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Philippines?
At $1,822 per month in Italy and $838 in Philippines, there's a 117% 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 Philippines: 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 Philippines across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Italy or in Philippines?
In Philippines, $2,000 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 Philippines?
It depends on what you're after: Philippines 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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