Cost of Living Comparison Between Mali and Italy Cost of Living Comparison Between Mali and Italy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $251 in Mali versus $1,720 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $416 in Mali versus $2,626 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $580 in Mali versus $3,531 in Italy.

Living in Mali costs about 85% less than in Italy on average.

Mali (81% below) and Italy (29% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mali
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.79 F CFA 3,881
$17.16 €14.96
-60.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.48 F CFA 21.4K
$81.4 €70.9
-53.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.57 F CFA 3,755
$11.60 €10.11
-43.36%
Cappuccino
$1.92 F CFA 1,097
$1.98 €1.73
-3.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 F CFA 457
$3.00 €2.62
-73.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 F CFA 338
$1.36 €1.18
-56.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.42 F CFA 1,381
$5.92 €5.16
-59.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$20.70 F CFA 11.8K
$5.25 €4.58
294.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mali
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.38 F CFA 1,358
$1.70 €1.49
40.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.34 F CFA 1,907
$2.37 €2.07
40.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$3.03 €2.65
-
Eggs
$4.49 F CFA 2,564
$3.95 €3.44
13.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.53 F CFA 10.0K
$16.66 €14.53
5.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.25 F CFA 9,861
$12.26 €10.68
40.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.14 F CFA 7,509
$20.06 €17.49
-34.50%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 F CFA 1,793
$2.55 €2.23
23.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 F CFA 835
$2.20 €1.92
-33.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.77 F CFA 1,586
$2.75 €2.40
0.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 F CFA 1,299
$3.22 €2.81
-29.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.57 F CFA 898
$1.94 €1.69
-19.07%
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 F CFA 1,063
$1.82 €1.59
2.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.09 F CFA 51.5
$1.48 €1.29
-93.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.24 F CFA 1,282
$0.50 €0.43
348.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.95 F CFA 543
$7.13 €6.21
-86.68%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.37 €6.43
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 F CFA 864
$1.76 €1.53
-14.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 F CFA 736
$2.53 €2.20
-49.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Mali
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.61 F CFA 2,632
$1.99 €1.73
131.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$42.32 €36.90
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.67 €4.94
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.25 F CFA 717
$1.52 €1.32
-17.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$34.94 €30.46
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 F CFA 650
$2.09 €1.83
-45.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$32.7K €28.5K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$32.9K €28.7K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mali
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 F CFA 86.3K
$227 €198
-33.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$13.58 €11.84
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.5 F CFA 32.3K
$31.57 €27.52
79.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mali
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$66.5 F CFA 38.0K
$57.7 €50.3
15.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.04 F CFA 2,308
$25.23 €22.00
-83.99%
Cinema Ticket
$5.62 F CFA 3,212
$10.59 €9.24
-46.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mali
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$79.9 F CFA 45.7K
$568 €495
-85.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$10.5K €9,187
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mali
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$90.7 €79.0
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$40.49 €35.30
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$99.8 €87.0
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$130 €113
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mali
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$178 F CFA 101.7K
$865 €754
-79.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$79.8 F CFA 45.6K
$672 €586
-88.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$410 F CFA 234.2K
$1,523 €1,328
-73.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$304 F CFA 173.9K
$1,078 €940
-71.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.0K F CFA 5.7M
$3,767 €3,284
166.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$850 F CFA 485.6K
$2,360 €2,058
-64.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mali
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$257 F CFA 147.1K
$1,949 €1,699
-86.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
4.41
-

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

Last update for Mali: July 26, 2026

Last update for Italy: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $43.00 in Mali, $743 in Italy. Capital cities: $173 in Bamako vs $1,334 in Rome.

National salary averages: $261 in Mali, $1,912 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1628% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 722% more in Italy.

Salaries are 633% higher 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
Mali vs Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Mali?
At $1,817 per month in Italy and $459 in Mali, there's a 296% 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 Mali: 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 Mali across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget in Italy or in Mali?
In Mali, $1,200 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 Mali?
It depends on what you're after: Mali wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Mali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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