Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Rome Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Rome

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,870 per month in Medicine Hat vs $2,027 in Rome, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,748 per month in Medicine Hat vs $3,143 in Rome, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,625 per month in Medicine Hat vs $4,260 in Rome, rent included.

Medicine Hat is about 8% cheaper than Rome, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medicine Hat and Rome sit above the global median – Medicine Hat by 40%, Rome by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.57 CA$21.65

$17.23 €14.84

-9.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 CA$99.2

$73.9 €63.6

-3.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 CA$11.35

$11.74 €10.11

-30.49%

Cappuccino

$3.72 CA$5.17

$1.83 €1.58

103.28%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.51 €2.16

-20.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.27 €1.09

35.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 CA$7.04

$5.86 €5.05

-13.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.47

$5.23 €4.50

-24.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.69 €1.46

-8.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 CA$2.53

$2.14 €1.84

-14.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 CA$4.75

$2.95 €2.54

15.93%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.48

$4.51 €3.88

-28.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 CA$11.37

$17.42 €15.00

-53.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.25 CA$15.65

$12.00 €10.33

-6.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 CA$18.61

$20.19 €17.38

-33.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.33

$2.45 €2.11

56.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$2.23 €1.92

-39.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$1.95 €1.68

28.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.65

$2.58 €2.22

29.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.77 €1.53

-15.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.86 €1.60

-17.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.68

$1.26 €1.09

109.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$0.55 €0.48

183.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.73 CA$16.32

$7.13 €6.14

64.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.16

$4.63 €3.99

182.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$1.95 €1.68

35.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.09

$2.73 €2.35

34.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$1.79 €1.54

30.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 CA$70.9

$41.00 €35.30

24.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$4.99

$5.13 €4.41

-30.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.60 €1.38

-18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 CA$40.60

$35.08 €30.20

-16.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.47

$1.95 €1.68

-45.64%

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

$25.0K CA$34.7K

$29.3K €25.2K

-14.82%

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

$22.2K CA$30.8K

$30.2K €26.0K

-26.53%

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

$212 CA$295

$219 €189

-3.23%

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

$41.51 CA$57.7

$11.01 €9.47

277.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CA$82.1

$31.31 €26.95

88.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 CA$79.7

$64.1 €55.2

-10.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.53 CA$52.2

$23.81 €20.49

57.62%

Cinema Ticket

$12.28 CA$17.07

$11.73 €10.10

4.69%

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

$877 CA$1,220

$528 €455

66.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K CA$22.0K

$10.4K €8,974

51.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 CA$74.0

$73.3 €63.1

-27.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 CA$38.67

$34.57 €29.76

-19.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 CA$96.4

$87.0 €74.9

-20.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.0 CA$97.3

$119 €102

-41.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 CA$1,134

$1,325 €1,140

-38.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 CA$1,016

$885 €762

-17.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 CA$1,955

$2,661 €2,291

-47.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 CA$1,670

$1,636 €1,408

-26.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,371 CA$1,907

$8,730 €7,516

-84.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,972 CA$2,742

$3,452 €2,972

-42.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,997 CA$4,168

$2,058 €1,772

45.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

3.95

44.56%

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

Last update for Medicine Hat: May 30, 2026

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $815 in Medicine Hat versus $1,325 in Rome. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 46% higher in Medicine Hat, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Medicine Hat versus $74.0 in Rome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $333 – making Medicine Hat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Medicine Hat vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rome costs about 8% more than Medicine Hat, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,805 per month in Medicine Hat and $3,041 in Rome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medicine Hat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,870 in Medicine Hat and $2,027 in Rome. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Medicine Hat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Medicine Hat, where all-in costs run around $1,870, than in Rome at $2,027. In Medicine Hat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medicine Hat costs $1,870 versus $2,027 in Rome. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medicine Hat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rome makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.