For one person, living is cheaper in Massa: $1,579 a month against $1,998 in Rome, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rome outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Massa and in Rome actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,579 in Massa versus $1,998 in Rome.
Massa $1,579
Rome $1,998
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,524 in Massa versus $3,117 in Rome.
Massa $2,524
Rome $3,117
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Massa versus $4,236 in Rome.
Massa $3,470
Rome $4,236
🌍
Living in Massa costs roughly 21% less than in Rome, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.
📊
Both cities are pricier than the global median: Massa17% above, Rome48% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Massa
Rome
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.00€15.12
$16.69€14.84
1.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.4€65.3
$65.8€58.5
11.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.60€12.10
$11.08€9.85
22.74%
Cappuccino
$2.26€2.01
$2.10€1.87
7.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31€2.05
$2.91€2.59
-20.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15€1.02
$1.48€1.32
-22.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.54€4.04
$5.62€5.00
-19.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.03€5.36
$6.68€5.94
-9.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Massa
Rome
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40€1.25
$1.72€1.53
-18.60%
White Bread(500g)
$2.76€2.46
$2.27€2.02
21.59%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.59€2.30
$2.99€2.66
-13.38%
Eggs
$4.25€3.78
$4.75€4.23
-10.53%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.31€16.29
$14.53€12.92
26.02%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.06€11.62
$12.63€11.24
3.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.36€15.44
$19.86€17.67
-12.59%
Apples(1kg)
$2.26€2.01
$2.64€2.35
-14.39%
Banana(1kg)
$1.71€1.52
$2.28€2.03
-25.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.96€1.74
$2.46€2.19
-20.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.47€2.20
$2.42€2.15
2.07%
Potato(1kg)
$1.30€1.16
$1.38€1.22
-5.80%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36€1.21
$1.55€1.38
-12.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.66€1.47
$1.32€1.17
25.76%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60€0.53
$0.55€0.49
9.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.53€5.81
$7.31€6.50
-10.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.93€7.05
$5.44€4.84
45.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60€1.42
$1.58€1.40
1.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85€1.64
$2.62€2.33
-29.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Massa
Rome
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.70€1.51
$1.63€1.45
4.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.07€36.53
$39.26€34.92
4.61%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.42€4.82
$6.51€5.79
-16.74%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.47€1.31
$1.68€1.50
-12.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$27.70€24.64
$33.24€29.57
-16.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.97€1.75
$2.17€1.93
-9.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.6K€32.6K
$35.3K€31.4K
3.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K€31.5K
$35.4K€31.5K
0.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Massa
Rome
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$237€211
$203€181
16.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.74€10.45
$11.50€10.22
2.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.78€24.71
$32.03€28.49
-13.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Massa
Rome
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.1€48.97
$65.9€58.6
-16.41%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.85€21.21
$22.89€20.36
4.19%
Cinema Ticket
$9.21€8.19
$11.23€9.99
-17.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Massa
Rome
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$559€497
$484€430
15.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,386€3,902
$16.5K€14.7K
-73.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Massa
Rome
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8€78.1
$71.0€63.1
23.70%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.33€37.65
$36.51€32.47
15.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.5€83.1
$84.9€75.5
10.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$156€139
$122€108
28.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Massa
Rome
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$603€536
$1,222€1,087
-50.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$414€368
$881€784
-53.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,079€960
$2,537€2,257
-57.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$851€757
$1,721€1,530
-50.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,915€2,593
$8,274€7,360
-64.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,038€1,812
$3,084€2,743
-33.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Massa
Rome
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,690€1,504
$1,942€1,728
-12.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.46
3.52
-1.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Massa: October 12, 2026
Last update for Rome: October 12, 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
Massa
$414 26.2%
Rome
$881 44.1% ↑ 113%$468
🛒Groceries & Markets
Massa
$331 21%
Rome
$329 16.5% ↓ 0.6%$1.8
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Massa
$276 17.5%
Rome
$246 12.3% ↓ 10.8%$30
🍽Eating Out
Massa
$253 16%
Rome
$251 12.6% ↓ 0.6%$1.6
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Massa
$171 10.8%
Rome
$141 7.1% ↓ 17.3%$30
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Massa
$73 4.7%
Rome
$88 4.4% ↑ 20.2%$15
🚌Getting Around
Massa
$61 3.8%
Rome
$61 3% ↑ 0.2%$0.1
🏠Accommodation & Living
Massa
$851 24.5%
Rome
$1.7K 40.6% ↑ 102%$870
🛒Groceries & Markets
Massa
$779 22.5%
Rome
$786 18.6% ↑ 0.9%$6.8
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Massa
$288 8.3%
Rome
$258 6.1% ↓ 10.5%$30
🍽Eating Out
Massa
$876 25.3%
Rome
$833 19.7% ↓ 5%$43
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Massa
$380 10.9%
Rome
$314 7.4% ↓ 17.3%$66
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Massa
$171 4.9%
Rome
$200 4.7% ↑ 16.8%$29
🚌Getting Around
Massa
$125 3.6%
Rome
$125 2.9% ↑ 0.1%$0.1
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $603 in Massa and $1,222 in Rome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Rome pays 15% 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: $73.0 in Massa vs $66.0 in Rome for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $331 vs $329 per month, with Rome cheaper across the board.
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
Massa vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Massa and in Rome?
Massa and Rome differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,579 vs $1,998 including rent). Massa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Rome. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Massa and in Rome?
Rent for a central apartment: $603 in Massa versus $1,222 in Rome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Massa – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $66.0 in Rome. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Massa or Rome?
All in, you'll spend $1,579 per month in Massa versus $1,998 in Rome – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,579 in Massa versus $1,998 in Rome, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Massa but tight or insufficient in Rome. The gap between the two cities makes Massa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Massa and Rome?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Massa or Rome safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Massa 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.
Where should expats move: Massa or Rome?
Expats usually find Massa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Rome. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.