Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Alba Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Alba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,467 per month in Milan vs $1,530 in Alba, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,845 per month in Milan vs $2,370 in Alba, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,223 per month in Milan vs $3,210 in Alba, rent included.

Milan costs about 61% more than Alba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Milan and Alba sit above the global median – Milan by 85%, Alba by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.53 €20.59

$12.10 €10.59

94.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €80.0

$93.4 €81.7

-2.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.72 €11.13

$12.71 €11.12

0.08%

Cappuccino

$2.10 €1.84

$1.70 €1.49

23.53%

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

$3.35 €2.93

$2.97 €2.60

12.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.26

$1.49 €1.31

-3.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 €6.14

$6.34 €5.55

10.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.93

$5.94 €5.20

-5.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.55

$1.87 €1.64

-5.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 €2.48

$2.92 €2.55

-2.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 €2.87

$3.34 €2.92

-1.80%

Eggs

$4.26 €3.72

$4.31 €3.77

-1.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 €17.29

$11.73 €10.26

68.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.96 €11.34

$13.03 €11.40

-0.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.27 €21.23

$23.98 €20.98

1.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.48

$1.72 €1.50

64.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$2.32 €2.03

2.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 €2.92

$3.29 €2.87

1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.41

$4.00 €3.50

-2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.22

$2.67 €2.33

-4.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 €1.95

$1.78 €1.56

24.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.63 €1.43

0.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$0.15 €0.13

366.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.23

$7.07 €6.19

0.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.28 €8.12

$9.27 €8.11

0.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.16

$2.40 €2.10

2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 €2.75

$3.12 €2.73

0.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 €2.21

$1.76 €1.54

43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.83 €39.22

$43.52 €38.07

3.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 €6.97

$8.02 €7.02

-0.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 €2.33

$1.52 €1.33

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.69 €34.73

$39.04 €34.16

1.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.11 €1.84

-2.84%

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

$34.1K €29.8K

$33.5K €29.3K

1.68%

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

$36.1K €31.6K

0.21%

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

$215 €188

$218 €191

-1.44%

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

$11.65 €10.19

$8.34 €7.30

39.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.28 €27.37

$31.34 €27.42

-0.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 €66.5

$55.3 €48.42

37.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.56 €32.86

$23.27 €20.35

61.41%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 €9.95

$11.49 €10.06

-0.96%

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

$878 €769

$887 €776

-1.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.3K

$16.6K €14.5K

-1.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €98.1

$98.2 €86.0

14.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 €46.68

$29.39 €25.72

81.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €101

$52.9 €46.25

118.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 €148

$75.9 €66.4

122.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,376

$484 €423

225.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 €983

$412 €361

172.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,208 €2,807

$744 €651

331.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 €1,793

$626 €548

227.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K €9,324

$3,063 €2,680

247.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,344 €4,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,208 €1,932

$2,629 €2,300

-16.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

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

Last update for Milan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Alba: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,573 in Milan versus $484 in Alba. 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 19% higher in Alba, 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 $91.0 in Milan versus $93.0 in Alba. Groceries tell a different story – $399 in Milan vs $363 in Alba – so Alba 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

Milan vs Alba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Milan is pricier by about 61%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,701 per month in Milan and $2,295 in Alba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alba, 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 $2,467 in Milan and $1,530 in Alba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Alba. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Alba, where all-in costs run around $1,530, than in Milan at $2,467. In Alba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Alba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Alba. 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.