Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Cesena Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Cesena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,645 in Milan versus $1,714 in Cesena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,044 in Milan versus $2,643 in Cesena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,444 in Milan versus $3,571 in Cesena.

Living in Milan is roughly 54% more expensive than in Cesena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milan 92% above, Cesena 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.76 €21.36

$17.29 €14.92

43.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.3 €84.0

$93.1 €80.3

4.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 €12.00

$12.53 €10.81

11.01%

Cappuccino

$2.13 €1.84

$2.21 €1.90

-3.62%

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

$4.02 €3.47

$2.94 €2.54

36.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.18 €1.01

74.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.94

$6.28 €5.42

9.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 €6.00

$5.14 €4.44

35.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.44 €1.24

24.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 €2.88

$1.19 €1.03

180.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 €3.26

$2.04 €1.76

85.29%

Eggs

$5.07 €4.37

$2.98 €2.57

70.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.70 €20.45

$18.86 €16.27

25.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.03 €12.97

$12.12 €10.46

24.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.74 €20.48

$17.63 €15.21

34.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 €2.78

$2.06 €1.78

56.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.20

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 €3.02

$2.44 €2.10

43.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 €3.96

$4.14 €3.57

10.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.59 €1.37

55.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.79 €1.55

20.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.99 €1.72

-7.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.51

$0.33 €0.29

81.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 €6.49

$6.84 €5.90

9.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.35 €8.07

$6.93 €5.98

34.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.33 €1.15

54.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.04

$1.70 €1.46

38.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$2.36 €2.03

5.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.87 €39.58

$40.77 €35.18

12.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 €6.96

$8.59 €7.42

-6.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 €2.05

$2.05 €1.77

15.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 €56.1

$34.93 €30.14

86.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.04 €1.76

5.39%

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

$38.3K €33.0K

$37.5K €32.3K

2.09%

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

$37.7K €32.5K

$36.6K €31.6K

2.94%

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

$267 €230

$202 €174

32.36%

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

$10.89 €9.40

$10.14 €8.75

7.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.70 €26.49

$30.99 €26.74

-0.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.4 €76.3

$53.3 €45.96

65.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.05 €29.38

$14.68 €12.67

131.95%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 €11.11

$10.62 €9.16

21.19%

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

$862 €744

$557 €481

54.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K €17.3K

$10.6K €9,107

90.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.8

$94.6 €81.6

12.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 €45.37

$38.39 €33.13

36.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$87.4 €75.4

33.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 €147

$82.3 €71.0

106.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 €1,502

$685 €591

154.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 €1,055

$627 €541

95.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,638 €3,139

$1,208 €1,042

201.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,089 €1,802

$975 €841

114.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,585

$3,064 €2,644

262.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,102 €4,403

$2,763 €2,384

84.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,275 €1,963

$1,795 €1,549

26.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.17

3.3

-3.94%

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

Last update for Milan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cesena: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,740 in Milan and $685 in Cesena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milan pays 27% 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: $97.0 in Milan vs $93.0 in Cesena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $432 vs $317 per month, with Cesena 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 Cesena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Milan and Cesena differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($2,645 vs $1,714 including rent). Cesena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 27% 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: $1,740 in Milan versus $685 in Cesena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cesena – a meal for two runs $93.0 versus $97.0 in Milan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,645 per month in Milan versus $1,714 in Cesena – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,714 in Cesena versus $2,645 in Milan, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Cesena but tight or insufficient in Milan. The gap between the two cities makes Cesena 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 Cesena 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 Cesena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.