Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Tonga Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Tonga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,717 in Italy versus $343 in Tonga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,624 in Italy versus $626 in Tonga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,530 in Italy versus $908 in Tonga.

Living in Italy is roughly 401% more expensive than Tonga on average.

Italy (28% above) and Tonga (74% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Tonga
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.44 €15.00
$8.23 TOP 19.22
111.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5 €68.4
$62.0 TOP 145
28.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 €10.11
$10.57 TOP 24.68
11.26%
Cappuccino
$2.00 €1.72
$2.97 TOP 6.94
-32.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.58
$2.88 TOP 6.72
4.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.16
$2.41 TOP 5.62
-43.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.94 €5.11
$3.30 TOP 7.71
80.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 €4.61
$5.12 TOP 11.95
4.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Tonga
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 €1.41
$1.57 TOP 3.67
4.46%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.07
$1.03 TOP 2.40
133.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.99 €2.58
$2.07 TOP 4.83
44.44%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.41
$5.11 TOP 11.94
-22.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.84 €14.49
$9.27 TOP 21.64
81.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.43 €10.69
$5.73 TOP 13.39
116.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.29 €17.46
$7.46 TOP 17.41
171.98%
Apples (1kg)
$2.47 €2.13
$2.85 TOP 6.66
-13.33%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.85
$2.69 TOP 6.27
-20.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.28
$2.89 TOP 6.75
-8.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.40 €2.92
$3.64 TOP 8.50
-6.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 €1.65
$3.20 TOP 7.48
-40.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.56
$2.70 TOP 6.29
-32.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.33
$2.25 TOP 5.26
-31.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.46
$1.40 TOP 3.28
-61.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79 €5.84
$10.35 TOP 24.16
-34.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.18 €6.18
$17.27 TOP 40.32
-58.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.55
$3.16 TOP 7.38
-43.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 €2.08
$3.36 TOP 7.84
-27.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Tonga
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.00 €1.72
$2.06 TOP 4.82
-2.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.35 €36.43
$41.28 TOP 96.4
2.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.94 €5.11
$2.13 TOP 4.97
178.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 €1.30
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.04 €29.28
$41.20 TOP 96.2
-17.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 €1.76
$1.47 TOP 3.43
39.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K €28.2K
$5,828 TOP 13.6K
463.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K €29.0K
$8,185 TOP 19.1K
311.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Tonga
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €194
$186 TOP 433
21.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.25 €11.40
$22.05 TOP 51.5
-39.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.95 €26.62
$122 TOP 285
-74.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Tonga
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.7 €47.95
$30.91 TOP 72.2
80.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.15 €21.63
$41.91 TOP 97.8
-39.99%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25 €8.82
$41.37 TOP 96.6
-75.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Tonga
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$576 €495
$156 TOP 365
268.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €8,998
$253 TOP 591
4033.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Tonga
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8 €79.0
$14.73 TOP 34.39
523.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72 €35.03
$17.74 TOP 41.42
129.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 €84.3
$20.94 TOP 48.89
368.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €112
$28.59 TOP 66.7
357.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Tonga
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$860 €740
$621 TOP 1,449
38.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 €573
$50.4 TOP 118
1221.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,475 €1,269
$838 TOP 1,956
76.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,087 €935
$566 TOP 1,321
92.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,850 €3,312
$409 TOP 956
840.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,359 €2,029
$250 TOP 583
845.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Tonga
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,933 €1,663
$669 TOP 1,562
188.88%
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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tonga: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $743 in Italy, $205 in Tonga. Capital cities: $1,325 in Rome vs $614 in Nuku'alofa.

National salary averages: $1,949 in Italy, $674 in Tonga. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 262% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 252% more in Italy.

Public transport is 214% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 189% higher in Italy, giving Tonga 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 Tonga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Tonga?
At $1,839 per month in Italy and $514 in Tonga, there's a 258% 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?
Tonga 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 Tonga across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Italy or Tonga?
In Tonga, $1,000 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 Tonga?
It depends on what you're after. Tonga 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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