Cost of Living Comparison Between Mestre and Milan Cost of Living Comparison Between Mestre and Milan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,977 per month in Mestre vs $2,536 in Milan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,037 per month in Mestre vs $3,851 in Milan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,097 per month in Mestre vs $5,165 in Milan, rent included.

Mestre is about 22% cheaper than Milan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mestre and Milan sit above the global median – Mestre by 48%, Milan by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.73 €19.41

$23.57 €20.13

-3.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.1 €79.5

$91.5 €78.2

1.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 €10.43

$12.80 €10.93

-4.61%

Cappuccino

$2.11 €1.80

$2.17 €1.85

-2.76%

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

$3.10 €2.65

$3.23 €2.76

-4.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.47 €1.26

12.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 €5.08

$6.76 €5.78

-11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.87

$5.78 €4.93

-21.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.79 €1.53

-11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 €2.56

$2.90 €2.48

3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 €2.40

$3.20 €2.74

-12.19%

Eggs

$4.29 €3.67

$4.45 €3.80

-3.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.69 €14.25

$19.58 €16.72

-14.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.70 €10.84

$12.90 €11.01

-1.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 €12.32

$24.13 €20.61

-40.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.41

$2.83 €2.42

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.74

$2.31 €1.97

-12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 €2.22

$3.36 €2.87

-22.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 €2.30

$3.91 €3.34

-31.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.59

$2.66 €2.27

-30.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$2.10 €1.80

-18.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 €1.57

$1.69 €1.44

8.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 €0.41

$0.73 €0.63

-35.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.62

$6.86 €5.86

-4.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.10 €6.06

$9.46 €8.08

-24.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 €1.30

$2.47 €2.11

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.77

$3.08 €2.63

-32.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.52

$2.61 €2.23

-31.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.10 €41.08

$44.82 €38.28

7.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.97 €5.95

$8.08 €6.90

-13.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 €1.26

$2.57 €2.20

-42.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.63 €38.97

$38.65 €33.00

18.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.75

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

$31.2K €26.6K

$33.3K €28.5K

-6.47%

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

$28.1K €24.0K

$35.6K €30.4K

-21.07%

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

$223 €191

$221 €189

0.86%

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

$13.49 €11.52

$11.71 €10.00

15.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.06 €23.11

$30.89 €26.38

-12.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 €51.3

$74.1 €63.3

-18.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.61 €17.60

$36.50 €31.17

-43.53%

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 €9.79

$11.37 €9.71

0.79%

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

$570 €486

$900 €768

-36.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,762 €4,921

$16.5K €14.1K

-65.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.4 €68.6

$112 €95.8

-28.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.62 €39.82

$54.1 €46.17

-13.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €86.9

$113 €96.4

-9.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 €123

$170 €145

-15.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 €763

$1,592 €1,360

-43.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 €638

$1,128 €963

-33.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 €1,362

$3,142 €2,684

-49.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 €1,103

$2,088 €1,783

-38.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,034 €1,737

$11.0K €9,407

-81.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,617 €1,381

$5,295 €4,522

-69.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,038 €1,741

$2,306 €1,969

-11.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.9

3.25

50.77%

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

Last update for Mestre: April 26, 2026

Last update for Milan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $893 in Mestre versus $1,592 in Milan. 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 13% higher in Milan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Mestre versus $92.0 in Milan. Groceries tell a different story – $329 in Mestre vs $399 in Milan – so Mestre wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Mestre vs Milan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,977 in Mestre, $2,536 in Milan – roughly 28% apart. Milan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,965 per month in Mestre and $3,804 in Milan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mestre, 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 $1,977 in Mestre and $2,536 in Milan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Mestre. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mestre, where all-in costs run around $1,977, than in Milan at $2,536. In Mestre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Milan has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,977 in Mestre to $2,536 in Milan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Mestre. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Milan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.