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: $2,467 in Milan versus $1,720 in Alessandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,845 in Milan versus $2,526 in Alessandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,223 in Milan versus $3,331 in Alessandria.

Living in Milan is roughly 43% more expensive than in Alessandria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milan 85% above, Alessandria 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.53 €20.61

$15.24 €13.35

54.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €80.1

$64.7 €56.6

41.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.72 €11.14

$11.65 €10.20

9.18%

Cappuccino

$2.10 €1.84

$1.83 €1.61

14.75%

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

$3.35 €2.93

$3.11 €2.72

7.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.27

$1.29 €1.13

11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 €6.15

$4.68 €4.10

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.94

$4.69 €4.11

20.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.55

$1.84 €1.61

-3.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 €2.49

$2.41 €2.11

17.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 €2.87

$2.65 €2.32

23.77%

Eggs

$4.26 €3.73

$3.90 €3.42

9.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 €17.31

$18.32 €16.05

7.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.96 €11.35

$10.91 €9.56

18.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.27 €21.25

$17.68 €15.48

37.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.48

$2.62 €2.30

8.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$1.94 €1.70

22.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 €2.92

$2.91 €2.55

14.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.42

$2.87 €2.51

35.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.23

$1.60 €1.40

58.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 €1.95

$1.69 €1.48

31.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.63 €1.43

0.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$0.49 €0.43

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$6.96 €6.10

2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.28 €8.13

$4.47 €3.92

107.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.16

$1.58 €1.39

55.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 €2.75

$2.49 €2.18

26.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 €2.21

$2.18 €1.91

16.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.83 €39.26

$80.2 €70.2

-44.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 €6.98

$7.91 €6.93

0.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 €2.33

$2.10 €1.84

26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.69 €34.76

$39.31 €34.42

0.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.80

$2.08 €1.82

-1.44%

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

$34.1K €29.8K

$33.5K €29.4K

1.67%

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

$36.1K €31.6K

$35.2K €30.8K

2.66%

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

$215 €188

$221 €194

-2.80%

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

$11.65 €10.20

$11.78 €10.32

-1.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.28 €27.40

$31.05 €27.20

0.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 €66.6

$46.32 €40.56

64.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.56 €32.89

$11.55 €10.11

225.19%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 €9.96

$10.53 €9.22

8.07%

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

$878 €769

$569 €498

54.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.3K

$7,071 €6,193

131.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €98.2

$100 €87.8

11.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 €46.73

$54.6 €47.78

-2.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €101

$97.6 €85.5

18.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 €148

$168 €147

0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,378

$611 €535

157.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 €984

$536 €469

109.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,208 €2,810

$855 €749

275.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 €1,795

$685 €600

199.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K €9,333

$2,279 €1,996

367.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,344 €4,680

$1,607 €1,407

232.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,208 €1,934

$1,853 €1,622

19.20%

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 Alessandria: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Milan and $611 in Alessandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milan pays 19% 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: $91.0 in Milan vs $65.0 in Alessandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $324 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 43% in total monthly costs ($2,467 vs $1,720 including rent). Alessandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% 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: $1,573 in Milan versus $611 in Alessandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $878 in Milan versus $569 in Alessandria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Milan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,720 in Alessandria versus $2,467 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 43% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.