For one person, living is cheaper in the Republic of the Congo: $1,657 a month against $1,843 in Italy, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Italy and in the Republic of the Congo
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 the Republic of the Congo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,843 in Italy versus $1,657 in the Republic of the Congo.
Italy $1,843
Republic of the Congo $1,657
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,816 in Italy versus $2,576 in the Republic of the Congo.
Italy $2,816
Republic of the Congo $2,576
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,788 in Italy versus $3,496 in the Republic of the Congo.
Italy $3,788
Republic of the Congo $3,496
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,038 to $2,555, compared to $1,944–$1,944 in the Republic of the Congo. City choice carries more weight in Italy.
🌍
Living in Italy is roughly 11% more expensive than in the Republic of the Congo on average.
📊
Both countries sit above the global median: Italy 35% above, the Republic of the Congo 22% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Republic of the Congo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.46€18.32
$8.32FCFA 4,886
145.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5€71.2
$37.70FCFA 22.1K
110.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.15€9.99
$5.07FCFA 2,977
119.92%
Cappuccino
$2.04€1.83
$4.09FCFA 2,401
-50.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10€2.78
$1.60FCFA 940
93.75%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40€1.25
$1.31FCFA 767
6.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.51€4.94
$5.76FCFA 3,385
-4.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74€5.14
$2.49FCFA 1,461
130.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Republic of the Congo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.57€1.41
$2.59FCFA 1,523
-39.38%
White Bread(500g)
$2.38€2.13
$4.64FCFA 2,725
-48.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.90€2.60
$3.14FCFA 1,846
-7.64%
Eggs
$4.07€3.65
$2.45FCFA 1,438
66.12%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.44€15.62
$16.13FCFA 9,472
8.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.56€11.25
$7.01FCFA 4,119
79.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.17€18.06
$12.13FCFA 7,127
66.28%
Apples(1kg)
$2.58€2.31
$2.95FCFA 1,730
-12.54%
Banana(1kg)
$2.19€1.96
$1.66FCFA 972
31.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.68€2.40
$3.46FCFA 2,033
-22.54%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.27€2.93
$4.08FCFA 2,395
-19.85%
Potato(1kg)
$1.90€1.70
$3.10FCFA 1,823
-38.71%
Onion(1kg)
$1.82€1.63
$2.38FCFA 1,400
-23.53%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.57€1.40
$1.29FCFA 756
21.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.49
$0.89FCFA 522
-38.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.69€5.99
$3.85FCFA 2,262
73.77%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.99€7.15
$8.02FCFA 4,710
-0.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77€1.59
$1.05FCFA 614
68.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35€2.11
$1.72FCFA 1,012
36.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Republic of the Congo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.91€1.71
$0.27FCFA 160
607.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$43.44€38.90
$23.87FCFA 14.0K
81.99%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.62€5.03
$1.65FCFA 969
240.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.71€1.54
$1.68FCFA 985
1.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.64€30.12
$7.00FCFA 4,112
380.57%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.03€1.82
$1.34FCFA 790
51.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K€31.6K
$29.0KFCFA 17.0M
21.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.7K€32.9K
$21.2KFCFA 12.5M
73.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Republic of the Congo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$227€203
$603FCFA 354.2K
-62.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59€10.38
$29.07FCFA 17.1K
-60.13%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38€27.21
$42.24FCFA 24.8K
-28.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Republic of the Congo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.8€46.37
$33.60FCFA 19.7K
54.08%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.70€21.22
$17.05FCFA 10.0K
39.00%
Cinema Ticket
$10.60€9.50
$6.17FCFA 3,622
71.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Republic of the Congo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$568€508
$53.4FCFA 31.4K
962.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K€10.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Republic of the Congo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.5€81.1
$46.07FCFA 27.1K
96.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.55€34.53
$47.10FCFA 27.7K
-18.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€91.9
$116FCFA 68.0K
-11.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131€117
$113FCFA 66.6K
15.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Republic of the Congo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826€739
$802FCFA 471.0K
2.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$646€579
$252FCFA 147.9K
156.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,400€1,254
$2,675FCFA 1.6M
-47.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,054€944
$990FCFA 581.6K
6.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,662€3,280
$3,459FCFA 2.0M
5.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,301€2,061
$2,944FCFA 1.7M
-21.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Republic of the Congo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,886€1,689
$374FCFA 219.9K
403.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.56
9.51
-62.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Italy: October 24, 2026
Last update for the Republic of the Congo: 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%
Republic of the Congo
$252 15.2% ↓ 61%$394
🛒Groceries & Markets
Italy
$348 18.9%
Republic of the Congo
$328 19.8% ↓ 5.7%$20
🍽Eating Out
Italy
$279 15.1%
Republic of the Congo
$176 10.6% ↓ 36.7%$102
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$269 14.6%
Republic of the Congo
$674 40.7% ↑ 151%$406
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$163 8.9%
Republic of the Congo
$145 8.8% ↓ 11.1%$18
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$73 4%
Republic of the Congo
$46 2.8% ↓ 37.1%$27
🚌Getting Around
Italy
$65 3.5%
Republic of the Congo
$35 2.1% ↓ 46.4%$30
🏠Accommodation & Living
Italy
$1.1K 27.8%
Republic of the Congo
$990 28.3% ↓ 6.1%$64
🛒Groceries & Markets
Italy
$823 21.7%
Republic of the Congo
$765 21.9% ↓ 7%$58
🍽Eating Out
Italy
$964 25.5%
Republic of the Congo
$535 15.3% ↓ 44.5%$429
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
$280 7.4%
Republic of the Congo
$703 20.1% ↑ 151%$423
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Italy
$363 9.6%
Republic of the Congo
$322 9.2% ↓ 11.1%$40
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Italy
$170 4.5%
Republic of the Congo
$109 3.1% ↓ 35.8%$61
🚌Getting Around
Italy
$134 3.6%
Republic of the Congo
$71 2% ↓ 47.5%$64
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $729 in Italy, $1,149 in the Republic of the Congo. Capital cities: $1,297 in Rome vs $1,149 in Brazzaville.
💰National salary averages: $1,890 in Italy, $453 in the Republic of the Congo. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 58% higher in the Republic of the Congo.
⭐Dining out costs 46% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 79% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are about 4.2 times higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.
Italy→Republic of the Congo5,140 km≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
Italy
Republic of the Congo
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 Republic of the Congo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and the Republic of the Congo?
At $1,843 per month in Italy and $1,657 in the Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo comes out about 10% 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 is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in the Republic of the Congo: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Should I move to Italy or to the Republic of the Congo?
It depends on what you’re after: the Republic of the Congo wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.