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.
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
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Mali
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.47F CFA 4,958
$20.46€18.27
-58.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.49F CFA 21.4K
$79.5€71.0
-54.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.25F CFA 4,831
$11.15€9.96
-26.01%
Cappuccino
$1.71F CFA 1,003
$2.04€1.82
-16.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89F CFA 520
$3.10€2.77
-71.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71F CFA 416
$1.40€1.25
-49.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.34F CFA 1,370
$5.51€4.93
-57.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$21.20F CFA 12.4K
$5.74€5.13
269.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mali
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.94F CFA 1,139
$1.57€1.40
23.57%
White Bread(500g)
$3.80F CFA 2,226
$2.38€2.13
59.66%
Rice(white)(1kg)
-
$2.90€2.59
-
Eggs
$6.05F CFA 3,544
$4.07€3.64
48.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.84F CFA 10.4K
$17.44€15.58
2.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$17.36F CFA 10.2K
$12.56€11.22
38.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.30F CFA 7,787
$20.17€18.01
-34.06%
Apples(1kg)
$3.11F CFA 1,822
$2.58€2.31
20.54%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46F CFA 854
$2.19€1.95
-33.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.90F CFA 1,699
$2.68€2.39
8.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.32F CFA 1,357
$3.27€2.92
-29.05%
Potato(1kg)
$1.67F CFA 976
$1.90€1.70
-12.11%
Onion(1kg)
$1.58F CFA 924
$1.82€1.62
-13.19%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.11F CFA 62.7
$1.57€1.40
-92.99%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.90F CFA 1,698
$0.55€0.49
427.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.01F CFA 593
$6.69€5.98
-84.90%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$7.99€7.13
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46F CFA 854
$1.77€1.58
-17.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30F 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)
$1.22F CFA 715
$1.71€1.53
-28.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$33.64€30.04
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.09F 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)
$147F CFA 86.3K
$227€202
-34.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$11.59€10.35
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.0F CFA 38.1K
$30.38€27.14
114.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mali
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$70.1F 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)
$76.9F 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)
$172F CFA 100.4K
$826€737
-79.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$79.5F CFA 46.5K
$646€577
-87.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$506F CFA 296.3K
$1,400€1,251
-63.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$297F CFA 173.6K
$1,054€942
-71.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$10.1KF CFA 5.9M
$3,662€3,271
176.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$843F CFA 493.8K
$2,301€2,055
-63.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mali
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$257F 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.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Mali
–
Italy
$646 35.1%
🛒Groceries & Markets
Mali
–
Italy
$348 18.9%
🍽Eating Out
Mali
–
Italy
$279 15.1%
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mali
–
Italy
$269 14.6%
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Mali
–
Italy
$163 8.9%
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Mali
–
Italy
$73 4%
🚌Getting Around
Mali
–
Italy
$65 3.5%
🏠Accommodation & Living
Mali
–
Italy
$1.1K 27.8%
🛒Groceries & Markets
Mali
–
Italy
$823 21.7%
🍽Eating Out
Mali
–
Italy
$964 25.5%
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mali
–
Italy
$280 7.4%
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Mali
–
Italy
$363 9.6%
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Mali
–
Italy
$170 4.5%
🚌Getting Around
Mali
–
Italy
$134 3.6%
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.
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.