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: $2,467 in Milan versus $1,637 in Cesena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,845 in Milan versus $2,464 in Cesena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,223 in Milan versus $3,291 in Cesena.

Living in Milan is roughly 51% more expensive than in Cesena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milan 85% above, Cesena 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.53 €20.59

$17.27 €15.11

36.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €80.0

$81.1 €71.0

12.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.72 €11.13

$11.65 €10.20

9.18%

Cappuccino

$2.10 €1.84

$1.97 €1.72

6.60%

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

$3.35 €2.93

$2.67 €2.33

25.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.26

$1.18 €1.03

22.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 €6.14

$5.95 €5.20

17.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.93

$4.58 €4.01

23.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.55

$1.40 €1.23

26.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 €2.48

$1.13 €0.99

151.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 €2.87

$2.08 €1.82

57.69%

Eggs

$4.26 €3.72

$2.27 €1.99

87.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 €17.29

$14.32 €12.53

37.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.96 €11.34

$10.86 €9.51

19.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.27 €21.23

$17.17 €15.02

41.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.48

$1.70 €1.48

66.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$1.86 €1.63

27.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 €2.92

$2.42 €2.12

38.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.41

$3.49 €3.05

11.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.22

$1.59 €1.39

59.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 €1.95

$1.47 €1.29

51.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.13 €0.99

45.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$0.34 €0.30

105.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.23

$6.95 €6.08

2.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.28 €8.12

$6.70 €5.86

38.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.16

$1.27 €1.12

93.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 €2.75

$1.63 €1.43

92.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 €2.21

$2.30 €2.01

10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.83 €39.22

$37.16 €32.51

20.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 €6.97

$8.06 €7.05

-1.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 €2.33

$2.08 €1.82

27.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.69 €34.73

$34.10 €29.83

16.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.08 €1.82

-1.44%

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

$34.1K €29.8K

$37.0K €32.4K

-8.03%

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

$36.1K €31.6K

$40.6K €35.5K

-11.02%

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

$215 €188

$192 €168

11.78%

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

$11.65 €10.19

$12.91 €11.29

-9.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.28 €27.37

$30.99 €27.11

0.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 €66.5

$56.4 €49.34

34.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.56 €32.86

$14.25 €12.47

163.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 €9.95

$10.52 €9.21

8.17%

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

$878 €769

$555 €486

58.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.3K

$6,668 €5,834

145.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €98.1

$87.1 €76.2

28.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 €46.68

$35.12 €30.72

51.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €101

$104 €91.3

10.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 €148

$127 €112

32.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,376

$673 €589

133.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 €983

$569 €498

97.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,208 €2,807

$1,269 €1,110

152.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 €1,793

$869 €760

135.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K €9,324

$2,965 €2,594

259.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,344 €4,675

$2,646 €2,315

101.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,208 €1,932

$1,791 €1,567

23.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

4.44

-26.80%

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

Last update for Milan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cesena: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Milan and $673 in Cesena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milan pays 23% 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: $91.0 in Milan vs $81.0 in Cesena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $278 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 51% in total monthly costs ($2,467 vs $1,637 including rent). Cesena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% 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: $1,573 in Milan versus $673 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 $81.0 versus $91.0 in Milan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,467 per month in Milan versus $1,637 in Cesena – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,637 in Cesena versus $2,467 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 51% less than in Milan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.