😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,717 in Italy versus $759 in Philippines.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,624 in Italy versus $1,184 in Philippines.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,530 in Italy versus $1,609 in Philippines.
😐Living in Italy is roughly 126% more expensive than Philippines on average.
📊Italy (28% above) and Philippines (43% below) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,170 to $2,508, compared to $487–$1,232 in Philippines. City choice carries more weight in Italy.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.44€15.00
$3.95₱243
341.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5€68.4
$21.33₱1,316
272.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.76€10.11
$3.57₱220
229.41%
Cappuccino
$2.00€1.72
$2.30₱142
-13.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00€2.58
$0.71₱43.96
322.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35€1.16
$0.41₱25.28
229.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.94€5.11
$1.35₱83.1
340.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36€4.61
$2.07₱128
158.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64€1.41
$1.87₱115
-12.30%
White Bread(500g)
$2.41€2.07
$1.31₱80.8
83.97%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.99€2.58
$0.93₱57.6
221.51%
Eggs
$3.96€3.41
$2.12₱131
86.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.84€14.49
$7.84₱483
114.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.43€10.69
$4.34₱268
186.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.29€17.46
$7.61₱469
166.62%
Apples(1kg)
$2.47€2.13
$2.96₱182
-16.55%
Banana(1kg)
$2.15€1.85
$1.50₱92.2
43.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.65€2.28
$2.73₱168
-2.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.40€2.92
$1.58₱97.2
115.19%
Potato(1kg)
$1.92€1.65
$2.20₱136
-12.73%
Onion(1kg)
$1.81€1.56
$2.62₱161
-30.92%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55€1.33
$1.39₱85.7
11.51%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54€0.46
$0.75₱46.31
-28.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79€5.84
$3.02₱186
124.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.18€6.18
$6.49₱400
10.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80€1.55
$1.14₱70.0
57.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42€2.08
$1.87₱115
29.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Philippines
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.00€1.72
$0.26₱16.03
669.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$42.35€36.43
$10.84₱668
290.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.94€5.11
$0.83₱51.2
615.66%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.51€1.30
$0.27₱16.81
459.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.04€29.28
$2.62₱162
1199.24%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.05€1.76
$1.18₱72.5
73.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K€28.2K
$22.9K₱1.4M
43.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K€29.0K
$21.7K₱1.3M
55.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$225€194
$109₱6,727
106.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.25€11.40
$28.52₱1,758
-53.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.95€26.62
$29.82₱1,839
3.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.7€47.95
$33.26₱2,051
67.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.15€21.63
$5.64₱348
345.92%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25€8.82
$6.16₱380
66.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576€495
$106₱6,526
444.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5K€8,998
$4,378₱270.0K
138.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8€79.0
$45.01₱2,776
104.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72€35.03
$24.91₱1,536
63.47%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0€84.3
$72.5₱4,473
35.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131€112
$63.0₱3,883
107.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Philippines
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$860€740
$314₱19.4K
173.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$667€573
$176₱10.9K
278.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,475€1,269
$647₱39.9K
127.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,087€935
$361₱22.3K
200.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,850€3,312
$3,004₱185.2K
28.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,359€2,029
$1,405₱86.7K
67.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Philippines
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,933€1,663
$329₱20.3K
487.34%
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: May 31, 2026
Last update for Philippines: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $743 in Italy, $259 in Philippines. Capital cities: $1,325 in Rome vs $500 in Manila.
💰National salary averages: $1,949 in Italy, $293 in Philippines. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 187% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 289% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 1367% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 565% higher in Italy, giving Italy stronger purchasing power.
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 $1,839 per month in Italy and $860 in Philippines, there's a 114% 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?
Philippines 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 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 Philippines?
In Philippines, $2,000 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 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.