Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mali and Italy

For one person, living is cheaper in Mali: $904 a month against $1,843 in Italy, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mali
Italy
🇲🇱 Mali
$904
/mo nomad
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,843
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mali and in Italy

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mali and in Italy actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $904 in Mali versus $1,843 in Italy.

  • Mali $904
  • Italy $1,843

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,481 in Mali versus $2,816 in Italy.

  • Mali $1,481
  • Italy $2,816

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,058 in Mali versus $3,788 in Italy.

  • Mali $2,058
  • Italy $3,788

Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,038 to $2,555, compared to $86–$894 in Mali. City choice carries more weight in Italy.

Living in Mali costs about 51% less than in Italy on average.

Mali (34% below) and Italy (35% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mali
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.47 F CFA 4,958
$20.46 €18.27
-58.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.49 F CFA 21.4K
$79.5 €71.0
-54.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.25 F CFA 4,831
$11.15 €9.96
-26.01%
Cappuccino
$1.71 F CFA 1,003
$2.04 €1.82
-16.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 F CFA 520
$3.10 €2.77
-71.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 F CFA 416
$1.40 €1.25
-49.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.34 F CFA 1,370
$5.51 €4.93
-57.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$21.20 F CFA 12.4K
$5.74 €5.13
269.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mali
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.94 F CFA 1,139
$1.57 €1.40
23.57%
White Bread (500g)
$3.80 F CFA 2,226
$2.38 €2.13
59.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$2.90 €2.59
-
Eggs
$6.05 F CFA 3,544
$4.07 €3.64
48.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.84 F CFA 10.4K
$17.44 €15.58
2.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.36 F CFA 10.2K
$12.56 €11.22
38.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 F CFA 7,787
$20.17 €18.01
-34.06%
Apples (1kg)
$3.11 F CFA 1,822
$2.58 €2.31
20.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 F CFA 854
$2.19 €1.95
-33.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.90 F CFA 1,699
$2.68 €2.39
8.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.32 F CFA 1,357
$3.27 €2.92
-29.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.67 F CFA 976
$1.90 €1.70
-12.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.58 F CFA 924
$1.82 €1.62
-13.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.11 F CFA 62.7
$1.57 €1.40
-92.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 F CFA 1,698
$0.55 €0.49
427.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.01 F CFA 593
$6.69 €5.98
-84.90%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.99 €7.13
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 F CFA 854
$1.77 €1.58
-17.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 F CFA 763
$2.35 €2.10
-44.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Mali
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.91 €1.71
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$43.44 €38.80
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.62 €5.02
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 F CFA 715
$1.71 €1.53
-28.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$33.64 €30.04
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.09 F CFA 636
$2.03 €1.81
-46.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$35.3K €31.5K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$36.7K €32.8K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mali
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$147 F CFA 86.3K
$227 €202
-34.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$11.59 €10.35
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.0 F CFA 38.1K
$30.38 €27.14
114.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mali
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$70.1 F CFA 41.0K
$51.8 €46.24
35.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$23.70 €21.17
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$10.60 €9.47
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mali
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$76.9 F CFA 45.0K
$568 €507
-86.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.5K €10.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mali
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$90.5 €80.9
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$38.55 €34.44
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$103 €91.7
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$131 €117
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mali
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$172 F CFA 100.4K
$826 €737
-79.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$79.5 F CFA 46.5K
$646 €577
-87.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$506 F CFA 296.3K
$1,400 €1,251
-63.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$297 F CFA 173.6K
$1,054 €942
-71.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.1K F CFA 5.9M
$3,662 €3,271
176.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$843 F CFA 493.8K
$2,301 €2,055
-63.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mali
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$257 F CFA 150.3K
$1,886 €1,685
-86.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.56
-

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

Last update for Mali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Italy: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mali
–
Italy
$646
Groceries & Markets
Mali
–
Italy
$348
Eating Out
Mali
–
Italy
$279
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mali
–
Italy
$269
Clothing & Footwear
Mali
–
Italy
$163
Sport & Entertainment
Mali
–
Italy
$73
Getting Around
Mali
–
Italy
$65

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $176 in Mali, $729 in Italy. Capital cities: $176 in Bamako vs $1,297 in Rome.

National salary averages: $264 in Mali, $1,890 in Italy. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 314% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 103% more in Italy.

Salaries are about 7.2 times higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.

Good to know
🇲🇱 Mali
🇮🇹 Italy
🕒 Local time
00:41 12:41 AM
01:41 1:41 AM
1 h ahead of Mali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
20,250,833
58,850,717
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to XOF – West African CFA Franc Converter

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 586 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.52 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.893 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mali Italy 3,810 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mali
  • Italy

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
Mali vs Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Mali?
At $1,843 per month in Italy and $904 in Mali, Mali comes out about 51% 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 has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $729 in Italy and $176 in Mali. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
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, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.

Mali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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