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 $1,891 per month in Medicine Hat vs $1,986 in Rome, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,809 per month in Medicine Hat vs $3,073 in Rome, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,726 per month in Medicine Hat vs $4,159 in Rome, rent included.

Medicine Hat is about 5% cheaper than Rome, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medicine Hat and Rome sit above the global median – Medicine Hat by 42%, Rome by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.31 CA$21.55

$17.54 €15.37

-12.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 CA$97.4

$76.0 €66.5

-8.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 CA$11.65

$11.67 €10.22

-29.05%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.47

$1.77 €1.55

119.77%

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

$1.97 CA$2.77

$2.45 €2.14

-19.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.44

$1.26 €1.11

37.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$5.75 €5.03

-9.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 CA$5.44

$5.06 €4.43

-23.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CA$2.11

$1.70 €1.49

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 CA$2.66

$2.07 €1.81

-8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.70

$2.99 €2.62

11.71%

Eggs

$3.29 CA$4.63

$4.52 €3.96

-27.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 CA$11.54

$17.69 €15.49

-53.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 CA$15.68

$11.75 €10.29

-5.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.52 CA$19.02

$20.56 €18.01

-34.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.26

$2.43 €2.12

53.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$2.36 €2.06

-44.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$2.02 €1.77

22.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.64

$2.67 €2.34

23.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$1.76 €1.54

-18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.19

$1.85 €1.62

-15.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$1.27 €1.11

115.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.27

$0.56 €0.49

187.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.82 CA$16.63

$6.81 €5.96

73.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.86 CA$18.10

$3.96 €3.46

224.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.61

$1.94 €1.70

32.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.14

$2.76 €2.42

32.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.28

$1.72 €1.51

35.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 CA$72.5

$41.16 €36.05

25.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.82

$5.23 €4.58

-34.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.92

$1.58 €1.39

-13.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.83 CA$40.57

$34.86 €30.53

-17.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 CA$1.42

$2.03 €1.78

-50.25%

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

$24.8K CA$34.9K

$29.0K €25.4K

-14.50%

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

$21.6K CA$30.5K

$29.9K €26.2K

-27.52%

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

$215 CA$302

$222 €195

-3.48%

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

$40.79 CA$57.4

$10.96 €9.60

272.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CA$83.0

$30.99 €27.14

90.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 CA$80.4

$64.2 €56.2

-10.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.79 CA$51.8

$23.99 €21.01

53.36%

Cinema Ticket

$12.51 CA$17.60

$11.63 €10.19

7.57%

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

$883 CA$1,243

$539 €472

63.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.5K

$10.7K €9,363

49.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 CA$73.2

$73.1 €64.1

-28.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.27 CA$38.37

$34.58 €30.29

-21.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 CA$99.1

$86.6 €75.8

-18.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 CA$97.6

$119 €104

-41.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 CA$1,167

$1,328 €1,163

-37.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 CA$1,045

$866 €759

-14.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 CA$1,941

$2,596 €2,274

-46.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 CA$1,695

$1,602 €1,403

-24.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,315 CA$1,851

$8,434 €7,386

-84.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,914 CA$2,693

$3,464 €3,034

-44.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,948 CA$4,148

$1,947 €1,705

51.43%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Rome: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Medicine Hat versus $1,328 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 51% 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 $69.0 in Medicine Hat versus $76.0 in Rome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 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 5% 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 $2,837 per month in Medicine Hat and $2,979 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 $1,891 in Medicine Hat and $1,986 in Rome. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% 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 $1,891, than in Rome at $1,986. 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 $1,891 versus $1,986 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.