Cost of Living Comparison Between Joplin, MO and Rome Cost of Living Comparison Between Joplin, MO and Rome

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,106 in Joplin, MO versus $2,031 in Rome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,838 in Joplin, MO versus $3,167 in Rome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,570 in Joplin, MO versus $4,304 in Rome.

Living in Joplin, MO is roughly 4% more expensive than in Rome, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Joplin, MO 53% above, Rome 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 $17.68

$17.45 €15.05

1.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 $58.8

$70.9 €61.2

-17.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 $9.96

$11.79 €10.17

-15.52%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$2.26 €1.95

119.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$3.10 €2.68

-35.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.55 €1.34

10.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 $5.10

$5.86 €5.05

-12.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 $6.03

$6.82 €5.88

-11.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.80 €1.56

-51.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.28 €1.97

24.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$3.25 €2.80

-36.62%

Eggs

$3.33 $3.33

$4.74 €4.09

-29.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$15.31 €13.21

-43.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 $6.82

$12.46 €10.75

-45.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.73 $16.73

$19.09 €16.46

-12.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.67 €2.31

45.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$2.47 €2.13

-52.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.56 €2.21

1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.44 €2.10

-12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.46 €1.26

-15.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.61 €1.39

45.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.44 €1.24

27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.51 €0.44

327.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.22 $9.22

$7.07 €6.10

30.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$4.54 €3.92

234.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.73 €1.49

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.93 €2.53

-47.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.69 €1.46

14.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.92 €35.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$7.64 €6.59

-66.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.78 €1.54

-15.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.43 $39.43

$34.61 €29.85

13.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$2.05 €1.77

-60.98%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.6K $36.6K

$37.1K €32.0K

-1.36%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.7K $24.7K

$36.0K €31.0K

-31.18%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$276 $276

$220 €190

25.68%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$42.41 $42.41

$12.41 €10.70

241.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$31.36 €27.05

124.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.86 $14.86

$68.4 €59.0

-78.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.35 €21.86

Cinema Ticket

$13.63 $13.63

$11.50 €9.92

18.52%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$927 $927

$504 €435

83.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K $16.1K

$17.4K €15.0K

-7.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.87 $39.87

$74.4 €64.2

-46.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.49 $39.49

$37.93 €32.71

4.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 $98.9

$87.3 €75.3

13.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.3 $70.3

$124 €107

-43.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$1,244 €1,073

2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 $943

$887 €765

6.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 $1,708

$2,637 €2,274

-35.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 $1,262

$1,795 €1,548

-29.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,441 $1,441

$8,673 €7,481

-83.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,486 $1,486

$3,283 €2,831

-54.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,310 $3,310

$1,947 €1,679

70.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.13

3.52

74.15%

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

Last update for Joplin, MO: August 29, 2026

Last update for Rome: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,272 in Joplin, MO and $1,244 in Rome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Joplin, MO pays 70% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $59.0 in Joplin, MO vs $71.0 in Rome for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $301 vs $332 per month, with Joplin, MO cheaper across the board.

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

Joplin, MO vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 70% higher in Joplin, MO, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,272 in Joplin, MO versus $1,244 in Rome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Joplin, MO pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,106 per month in Joplin, MO versus $2,031 in Rome – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,031 in Rome versus $2,106 in Joplin, MO, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rome but tight or insufficient in Joplin, MO. The gap between the two cities makes Rome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rome is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Joplin, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Joplin, MO and Rome are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Rome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Joplin, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.