Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Cortona Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Cortona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,531 per month in Milan vs $1,658 in Cortona, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,851 per month in Milan vs $2,523 in Cortona, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,171 per month in Milan vs $3,387 in Cortona, rent included.

Milan costs about 53% more than Cortona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Milan and Cortona sit above the global median – Milan by 89%, Cortona by 24%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.82 €19.37

$13.81 €11.73

65.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.2 €80.0

$74.0 €62.8

27.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.93 €10.98

$11.55 €9.81

11.95%

Cappuccino

$2.12 €1.80

$1.77 €1.50

19.77%

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

$3.39 €2.88

$2.49 €2.12

36.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.25

$1.28 €1.09

14.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 €5.84

$5.74 €4.87

19.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 €4.87

$5.23 €4.44

9.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.51

$1.75 €1.49

1.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 €2.41

$2.16 €1.84

31.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 €2.82

$2.95 €2.50

12.54%

Eggs

$4.25 €3.61

$4.51 €3.83

-5.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.43 €16.50

$17.54 €14.90

10.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.07 €11.09

$12.10 €10.27

8.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.60 €20.89

$20.40 €17.32

20.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 €2.42

$2.42 €2.05

17.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.02

$2.33 €1.98

2.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 €2.74

$1.94 €1.65

66.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 €3.35

$2.70 €2.29

46.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 €2.14

$1.73 €1.47

46.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.79

$1.84 €1.56

14.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 €1.43

$1.26 €1.07

34.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 €0.62

$0.55 €0.47

32.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.96 €5.91

$6.89 €5.85

1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 €8.13

$8.58 €7.29

11.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.10

$1.85 €1.57

33.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.55

$2.74 €2.33

9.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.58 €2.19

$1.77 €1.50

45.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.45 €38.58

$43.95 €37.31

3.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 €6.90

$5.37 €4.56

51.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 €2.15

$1.46 €1.24

73.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.15 €33.23

$34.78 €29.53

12.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 €1.80

$1.95 €1.65

8.72%

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

$33.7K €28.6K

$29.2K €24.8K

15.62%

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

$36.3K €30.9K

$29.4K €25.0K

23.59%

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

$214 €182

$226 €192

-5.15%

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

$11.40 €9.68

$11.07 €9.40

2.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.16 €26.45

$31.56 €26.80

-1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 €62.7

$53.9 €45.75

36.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.05 €31.45

$22.81 €19.36

62.43%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 €9.79

$11.76 €9.98

-1.96%

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

$900 €764

$290 €246

210.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €13.9K

$10.5K €8,907

55.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €95.3

$73.5 €62.4

52.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 €45.51

$35.44 €30.09

51.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €98.5

$84.7 €71.9

37.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 €144

$120 €102

41.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,369

$755 €641

113.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 €949

$585 €497

90.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,177 €2,697

$1,191 €1,011

166.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 €1,743

$943 €801

117.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K €9,282

$2,422 €2,056

351.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,341 €4,534

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,317 €1,967

$2,732 €2,319

-15.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

3.95

-17.72%

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

Last update for Milan: April 20, 2026

Last update for Cortona: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Milan versus $755 in Cortona. 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 18% higher in Cortona, 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 $94 in Milan versus $74 in Cortona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $400 vs $343 – making Cortona 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 Cortona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,531 in Milan, $1,658 in Cortona – roughly 53% apart. Milan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,796 per month in Milan and $2,487 in Cortona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 3% less in Cortona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $900 per month in Milan and $290 in Cortona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Cortona, where all-in costs run around $1,658, than in Milan at $2,531. In Cortona 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 $1,658 in Cortona to $2,531 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 Cortona. 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.