Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Catania Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Catania

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,508 in Milan versus $1,435 in Catania.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,853 in Milan versus $2,209 in Catania.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,197 in Milan versus $2,983 in Catania.

Living in Milan is roughly 75% more expensive than Catania, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milan 87% above, Catania 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.06 €19.85

$17.39 €14.97

32.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 €79.3

$70.7 €60.9

30.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 €10.96

$11.71 €10.08

8.71%

Cappuccino

$2.17 €1.87

$1.92 €1.65

13.02%

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

$3.23 €2.78

$2.40 €2.07

34.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.23 €1.06

21.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.12

$5.49 €4.72

29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.92

$3.44 €2.96

65.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.44 €1.24

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 €2.42

$1.82 €1.56

54.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$2.53 €2.18

32.02%

Eggs

$4.31 €3.71

$3.09 €2.66

39.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 €17.00

$10.76 €9.26

83.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 €11.21

$11.33 €9.75

14.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.69 €21.26

$16.41 €14.13

50.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 €2.45

$1.66 €1.43

71.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.57 €1.35

47.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 €2.90

$1.46 €1.25

130.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 €3.39

$1.70 €1.46

131.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.40 €1.21

85.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.19 €1.03

84.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 €1.40

$0.84 €0.72

94.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.60

$0.46 €0.40

52.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €5.92

$6.53 €5.62

5.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 €7.84

$7.97 €6.86

14.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.93 €1.66

21.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 €2.58

$3.14 €2.70

-4.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$1.70 €1.47

46.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.58 €39.24

$28.97 €24.94

57.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 €7.00

$6.78 €5.83

19.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.06 €0.91

148.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.61 €34.10

$29.30 €25.23

35.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.76

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

$33.4K €28.8K

$25.1K €21.6K

33.39%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$25.3K €21.7K

44.15%

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

$216 €186

$213 €183

1.31%

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

$11.71 €10.08

$14.71 €12.67

-20.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.47 €26.24

$38.12 €32.82

-20.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.1 €64.7

$59.4 €51.1

26.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.13 €31.97

$17.91 €15.42

107.31%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 €10.11

$9.04 €7.78

29.87%

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

$875 €753

$450 €388

94.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €14.4K

$6,937 €5,972

140.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €99.1

$77.7 €66.9

48.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 €45.84

$29.24 €25.17

82.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.9

$88.3 €76.1

30.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 €147

$114 €98.5

49.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,388

$572 €493

181.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 €979

$390 €336

191.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,138 €2,701

$917 €790

242.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 €1,794

$680 €585

206.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,513

$2,377 €2,046

364.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,565 €4,791

$1,570 €1,352

254.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,270 €1,955

$1,916 €1,650

18.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

4.59

-29.19%

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

Last update for Milan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Catania: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Milan and $572 in Catania. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milan pays 18% 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: $92.0 in Milan vs $71.0 in Catania for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $273 per month, with Catania 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 Catania: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Catania is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Milan pays 18% more on average, 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: $1,612 in Milan versus $572 in Catania. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,508 per month in Milan versus $1,435 in Catania – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Catania runs roughly 57% less than in Milan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,435 in Catania versus $2,508 in Milan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Catania but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Catania the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Catania is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Milan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Milan and Catania 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 Catania gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.