Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Bologna Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Bologna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,508 per month in Milan vs $2,182 in Bologna, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,853 per month in Milan vs $3,410 in Bologna, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,197 per month in Milan vs $4,639 in Bologna, rent included.

Milan costs about 15% more than Bologna, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Milan and Bologna sit above the global median – Milan by 87%, Bologna by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.06 €19.86

$23.28 €20.05

-0.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 €79.3

$82.6 €71.1

11.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 €10.96

$12.06 €10.38

5.56%

Cappuccino

$2.17 €1.87

$2.06 €1.77

5.34%

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

$3.23 €2.78

$3.54 €3.05

-8.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.39 €1.19

7.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.12

$5.67 €4.88

25.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.92

$5.90 €5.08

-3.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.75 €1.51

5.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 €2.42

$3.02 €2.60

-6.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$3.29 €2.84

1.52%

Eggs

$4.31 €3.71

$4.19 €3.61

2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 €17.00

$21.88 €18.84

-9.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 €11.21

$13.99 €12.04

-6.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.69 €21.26

$23.40 €20.15

5.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 €2.45

$3.04 €2.62

-6.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.89 €2.49

-20.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 €2.90

$3.60 €3.10

-6.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 €3.39

$4.46 €3.84

-11.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.42 €2.08

7.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$2.04 €1.76

7.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.42 €1.22

14.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.60

$0.51 €0.44

37.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €5.92

$7.12 €6.13

-3.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 €7.84

$7.38 €6.35

23.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.84 €1.58

27.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 €2.58

$3.12 €2.69

-3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$2.63 €2.27

-5.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.58 €39.25

$41.69 €35.90

9.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 €7.00

$5.67 €4.88

43.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.47 €1.27

78.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.61 €34.11

$30.96 €26.66

27.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.03 €1.75

0.99%

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

$33.4K €28.8K

$38.6K €33.2K

-13.42%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$38.4K €33.0K

-5.11%

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

$216 €186

$230 €198

-6.27%

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

$11.71 €10.08

$11.26 €9.69

4.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.47 €26.24

$33.03 €28.44

-7.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.1 €64.7

$68.0 €58.6

10.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.13 €31.97

$33.96 €29.24

9.33%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 €10.11

$12.55 €10.81

-6.45%

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

$875 €753

$917 €789

-4.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €14.4K

$27.8K €23.9K

-40.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €99.1

$101 €87.2

13.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 €45.85

$51.6 €44.44

3.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.0

$121 €104

-4.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 €147

$194 €167

-11.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,388

$1,107 €953

45.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 €979

$862 €742

31.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,138 €2,702

$2,022 €1,741

55.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 €1,795

$1,475 €1,270

41.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,515

$5,365 €4,620

105.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,565 €4,792

$4,022 €3,463

38.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,270 €1,955

$2,201 €1,895

3.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

4.17

-22.06%

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

Last update for Milan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bologna: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Milan versus $1,107 in Bologna. 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 3% 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 $92.0 in Milan versus $83.0 in Bologna. Groceries tell a different story – $400 in Milan vs $406 in Bologna – so Milan 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 Bologna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Milan costs about 15% more than Bologna, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,762 per month in Milan and $3,272 in Bologna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bologna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Bologna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $875 per month in Milan and $917 in Bologna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bologna, where all-in costs run around $2,182, than in Milan at $2,508. In Bologna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bologna costs $2,182 versus $2,508 in Milan. 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 Bologna. 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.