Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Bolzano-Bozen Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Bolzano-Bozen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,508 per month in Milan vs $2,127 in Bolzano-Bozen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,853 per month in Milan vs $3,306 in Bolzano-Bozen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,197 per month in Milan vs $4,485 in Bolzano-Bozen, rent included.

Milan costs about 18% more than Bolzano-Bozen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Milan and Bolzano-Bozen sit above the global median – Milan by 87%, Bolzano-Bozen by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.06 €19.84

$22.30 €19.18

3.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 €79.2

$93.3 €80.3

-1.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 €10.95

$11.50 €9.89

10.70%

Cappuccino

$2.17 €1.87

$2.80 €2.41

-22.50%

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

$3.23 €2.78

$3.51 €3.02

-7.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.44 €2.09

-38.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.11

$5.85 €5.03

21.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.92

$5.22 €4.49

9.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 €2.42

$3.37 €2.90

-16.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$2.49 €2.14

34.14%

Eggs

$4.31 €3.70

$5.00 €4.30

-13.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 €16.98

$15.92 €13.69

23.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 €11.20

$11.37 €9.78

14.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.69 €21.24

$17.25 €14.84

43.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 €2.45

$2.22 €1.91

27.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.00 €1.72

15.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 €2.90

$2.81 €2.42

19.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 €3.39

$2.62 €2.25

50.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.43 €1.23

81.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.67 €1.43

31.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.25 €1.07

30.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.60

$0.73 €0.62

-4.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €5.91

$7.91 €6.80

-13.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 €7.83

$8.96 €7.70

1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.65 €1.42

42.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 €2.58

$3.39 €2.91

-11.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$1.72 €1.48

44.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.58 €39.21

$57.9 €49.82

-21.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 €6.99

$7.86 €6.76

3.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.78 €1.54

47.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.61 €34.08

$40.59 €34.91

-2.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.14 €1.84

-4.21%

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

$33.4K €28.8K

$28.7K €24.7K

16.63%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$34.6K €29.7K

5.34%

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

$216 €185

$212 €182

1.82%

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

$11.71 €10.07

$14.35 €12.34

-18.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.47 €26.21

$29.49 €25.37

3.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.1 €64.6

$72.8 €62.6

3.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.13 €31.94

$21.85 €18.79

69.93%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 €10.10

$12.61 €10.84

-6.90%

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

$875 €753

$490 €421

78.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €14.4K

$6,843 €5,887

143.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €99.0

$108 €92.7

6.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 €45.80

$66.1 €56.8

-19.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.9

$151 €130

-23.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 €147

$159 €137

7.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,387

$953 €820

69.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 €978

$807 €694

40.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,138 €2,699

$1,669 €1,435

88.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 €1,793

$1,380 €1,187

50.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,505

$7,663 €6,591

44.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,565 €4,787

$4,935 €4,245

12.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,270 €1,953

$2,591 €2,229

-12.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

4.8

-32.29%

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

Last update for Milan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bolzano-Bozen: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Milan versus $953 in Bolzano-Bozen. 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 14% higher in Bolzano-Bozen, 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 $92.0 in Milan versus $93.0 in Bolzano-Bozen. Groceries tell a different story – $400 in Milan vs $340 in Bolzano-Bozen – so Bolzano-Bozen 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 Bolzano-Bozen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,508 in Milan, $2,127 in Bolzano-Bozen – roughly 18% apart. Milan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,762 per month in Milan and $3,191 in Bolzano-Bozen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bolzano-Bozen, 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 $2,508 in Milan and $2,127 in Bolzano-Bozen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 27% less in Bolzano-Bozen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Bolzano-Bozen, where all-in costs run around $2,127, than in Milan at $2,508. In Bolzano-Bozen 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 $2,127 in Bolzano-Bozen to $2,508 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 Bolzano-Bozen. 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.