Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Alessandria Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Alessandria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,645 in Milan versus $1,659 in Alessandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,044 in Milan versus $2,523 in Alessandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,444 in Milan versus $3,387 in Alessandria.

Living in Milan is roughly 59% more expensive than in Alessandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milan 92% above, Alessandria 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.76 €21.30

$17.90 €15.40

38.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.3 €83.7

$69.8 €60.1

39.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 €11.97

$11.84 €10.19

17.48%

Cappuccino

$2.13 €1.83

$1.92 €1.65

10.94%

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

$4.02 €3.46

$3.14 €2.70

28.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.19 €1.02

73.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$4.62 €3.97

49.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 €5.99

$4.63 €3.99

50.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.69 €1.45

5.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 €2.87

$2.52 €2.17

32.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 €3.25

$2.73 €2.35

38.46%

Eggs

$5.07 €4.36

$3.84 €3.30

32.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.70 €20.39

$16.28 €14.01

45.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.03 €12.93

$10.51 €9.04

43.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.74 €20.43

$21.61 €18.60

9.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 €2.77

$2.33 €2.01

38.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.19

$1.97 €1.70

29.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 €3.01

$2.94 €2.53

19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 €3.95

$2.92 €2.52

57.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.12

$1.62 €1.39

52.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.65 €1.42

30.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 €1.58

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.51

$0.50 €0.43

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 €6.47

$6.85 €5.90

9.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.35 €8.05

$4.63 €3.98

101.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.65 €1.42

24.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.03

$2.48 €2.13

-4.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$2.15 €1.85

15.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.87 €39.47

$80.5 €69.3

-43.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 €6.94

$5.75 €4.95

40.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.36 €2.03

0.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 €56.0

$63.4 €54.5

2.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.12 €1.82

1.42%

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

$38.3K €32.9K

$37.0K €31.8K

3.42%

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

$37.7K €32.4K

$37.3K €32.1K

1.15%

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

$267 €230

$262 €226

1.78%

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

$10.89 €9.37

$10.61 €9.13

2.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.70 €26.41

$29.22 €25.15

5.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.4 €76.0

$40.34 €34.71

119.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.05 €29.30

$34.97 €30.09

-2.63%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 €11.08

$9.28 €7.98

38.69%

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

$862 €742

$532 €458

62.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K €17.3K

$5,831 €5,017

244.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.6

$99.5 €85.6

7.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 €45.24

$52.9 €45.51

-0.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$95.3 €82.0

22.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 €146

$167 €143

2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 €1,498

$473 €407

267.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 €1,052

$459 €395

166.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,638 €3,130

$790 €679

360.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,089 €1,797

$651 €560

221.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,559

$2,401 €2,066

362.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,102 €4,390

$1,496 €1,287

241.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,275 €1,958

$1,877 €1,615

21.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.17

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

Last update for Milan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Alessandria: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,740 in Milan and $473 in Alessandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milan pays 21% 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: $97.0 in Milan vs $70.0 in Alessandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $432 vs $329 per month, with Alessandria cheaper across the board.

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 Alessandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Milan and Alessandria differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($2,645 vs $1,659 including rent). Alessandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 21% higher in Milan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,740 in Milan versus $473 in Alessandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $862 in Milan versus $532 in Alessandria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Milan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,659 in Alessandria versus $2,645 in Milan, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Alessandria but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Alessandria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Milan and Alessandria are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Alessandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.