Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Cagliari Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Cagliari

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,645 per month in Milan vs $1,846 in Cagliari, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,044 per month in Milan vs $2,836 in Cagliari, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,444 per month in Milan vs $3,826 in Cagliari, rent included.

Milan costs about 43% more than Cagliari, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Milan and Cagliari sit above the global median – Milan by 92%, Cagliari by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.76 €21.29

$22.87 €19.66

8.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.3 €83.7

$90.3 €77.6

7.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 €11.96

$11.68 €10.05

19.09%

Cappuccino

$2.13 €1.83

$2.07 €1.78

2.90%

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

$4.02 €3.46

$3.28 €2.82

22.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.77

$1.57 €1.35

31.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.92

$5.97 €5.13

15.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 €5.98

$4.55 €3.92

52.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.61 €1.38

11.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 €2.87

$2.68 €2.31

24.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 €3.25

$2.91 €2.50

29.90%

Eggs

$5.07 €4.36

$3.75 €3.22

35.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.70 €20.37

$19.98 €17.17

18.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.03 €12.92

$12.44 €10.69

20.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.74 €20.41

$21.87 €18.80

8.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 €2.77

$2.61 €2.25

23.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.19

$1.94 €1.66

31.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 €3.00

$2.35 €2.02

48.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 €3.94

$3.76 €3.23

22.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.12

$2.04 €1.76

21.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 €1.84

$2.44 €2.10

-11.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.52 €1.30

21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.51

$0.69 €0.59

-13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 €6.47

$7.66 €6.58

-1.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.35 €8.04

$8.24 €7.08

13.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.68 €1.44

22.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.81 €1.56

30.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$1.52 €1.31

63.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.87 €39.43

$40.16 €34.52

14.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 €6.94

$9.76 €8.39

-17.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.53 €1.32

54.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 €55.9

$31.90 €27.43

103.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.14 €1.84

0.47%

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

$38.3K €32.9K

$38.2K €32.8K

0.22%

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

$37.7K €32.4K

$37.3K €32.1K

0.90%

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

$267 €230

$163 €140

63.77%

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

$10.89 €9.36

$9.06 €7.79

20.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.70 €26.39

$31.83 €27.36

-3.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.4 €76.0

$53.6 €46.12

64.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.05 €29.27

$25.50 €21.92

33.53%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 €11.07

$11.63 €10.00

10.66%

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

$862 €741

$539 €463

60.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K €17.3K

$8,288 €7,126

142.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.5

$98.4 €84.6

8.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 €45.20

$48.27 €41.50

8.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$97.1 €83.5

20.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 €146

$126 €109

34.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 €1,496

$882 €758

97.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 €1,051

$665 €571

83.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,638 €3,127

$1,402 €1,205

159.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,089 €1,796

$1,069 €919

95.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,550

$3,389 €2,914

227.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,102 €4,386

$2,437 €2,095

109.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,275 €1,956

$1,845 €1,586

23.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.17

3.27

-3.06%

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

Last update for Milan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cagliari: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,740 in Milan versus $882 in Cagliari. 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 23% 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 $97.0 in Milan versus $90.0 in Cagliari. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $432 vs $364 – making Cagliari the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cagliari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Milan is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,967 per month in Milan and $2,769 in Cagliari. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 14% less in Cagliari. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $862 per month in Milan and $539 in Cagliari. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Cagliari, where all-in costs run around $1,846, than in Milan at $2,645. In Cagliari it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cagliari – 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 Cagliari. 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.